Topic: recurrence after 3 months from radiation

Why December?  That seems so long away?

I expect it is what you suspect.  Scar tissue.  Your doctor wants to err on the side of being conservative. If he/she was terribly worried, an mri would be ordered NOW.   I know that when I went through all this I hung onto every word.  He/she is saying we need to be vigilant  but not terribly concerned. I understand your worry, yet I know your doctor knows cancer better than you or me. Waiting for December means this is not an obvious case of recurrence.

Breathe deep.

Susan 

Peachy,

I'm glad you're getting the follow up MRI.  Hope all goes well.  Just make sure that if anything comes up positive that they double check for false positives.  That was my only fear when they did my MRI, but my breast just lit up the whole screen, but I digress.  Take care and let us know.

Trish

Newday,

I had a lump at the incision site of my SNB after rads....My oncologist wanted it biopsied so off again I went to surgeon...it was too deep in the arm pit so had to have it surgically removed...all path came back negative and they felt it was a stitch that didnt dissolve from the snb.....

I agree with the statement above that Dec. seems like a long time to wait..my onco waited two weeks after rads to be sure it wasnt a strange reaction to that before doing the biopsy.

I will keep you in my thoughts as I know you will be on pins and needles until someone gives you some answers.

Hugs

Jule

I thank you all for your suggestions and comments. I did talk to my surgeon again and told him I would like a core biopsy. He said that would be ok and he will have a ultra sound done also. He also said that nothing is 100% but there should be nothing to worry about. Hopefully it is just scar tissue.

I had a ultrasound and core biopsy this morning. The ultrasound tech found a dark mass on the ultrasound which was were my initial tumor was. She showed the radiologist was he thought and he said it is probably scar tissue, but he would do a biopsy just to make sure. The mass was about 4cm in size. Just seems weird if was cancer why would it be that big since its been only 6 months since my 2nd lumpectomy.  I am stage 1 with no vascular invasion also. Its also only 3 months since my last radiation. I hoping its just scar tissue.

Don't wait.

I had a nodule (~0.5 cm) after ACx4 and Taxol/herceptinX4 *before* I had the chance to get radiation. 

Nobody (surgeon, radiation guy, oncologist) thought it would be cancer, but I insisted on bx. Yes, it was cancer.

Go  with your gut.

I have now had a wide re-excision (after bi-mastectomy) and radiation therapy. Am scared Sh*less.

Has anyone had a local recurrence this early? Was the chemo in vain?

Any response appreciated.

KC 

Dear KC,

Oh, I am so sorry about your recurrence!

I read through your posts, you had multifocal disease with extension. Does your doctor think the skin foci are recurrence or persistence due to the extensiveness initially? It's more academic a question, than anything else, yet it might put your mind at ease some. Were the tumor markers the same and the pathologY?

Chemotherapy regrettably does not "clean up" and eradicate all cancer cells as we much as we wish. Some think the chemo doesn't get to the site because the blood vessels leading to the tumor are sealed off from surgery. But now that you've had the excision, which is the main cure, the radiation should do a good job at sterilizing the tumor site. You're having axillary SVC, etc LN etc too, right? Got to watch out for lymphedema. Please read on the LE site here.

I know this is beyond normal scary for you: but maybe it was leftover stray tumor, chemo didn't get there, and now between the Herceptin and the Aromatase Inhibitor and the radiation it got taken care of . The PET scan being negative is great news; it lights up the tumor's glucose and the fact it was negative in the chest wall and body is great. Don't know about your MRI question; maybe latter given the negative PET?

Haven't read "Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person". Very good title; makes us think more me-oriented to safe our life? You can do this KC. You're asking the right questions, being proactive in your care, as
is NewDay with her different circumstances.

I'l take a look at the book from my home town library. Sounds like one I should read.

Post back and often. We're here for you.

Thinking of you and NewDay.
Tender

Newday,

Just a note to check back on you, knowing you're in the waiting period. It's a tortuous disease, this breast cancer, but I'm hoping your problem is radiation reaction, and your results are B9!

Don't sit alone during these long days, should you care not too. Having people to pass the time with is oh, so helpful sometimes.

Tender

Newday,

It's going to be o.k, I think! You're original tumor was not overly aggressive, and a 4 cm recurrence within 3 months of treatment is like extraordinarily unusual. Ionizing radiation is real good at destroying cancer cells.

It's Monday almost 4 p.m..Any way you could push yourself to call your doctor and ask him to call the pathologist for the preliminary yet today? Good doctors, which I still hold out that our system has many (I know, I know) really want to know when you're suffering.

So, why don't you ring them up now. . .There, there' a little push in that direction.

Tender

Hi everyone,

I just received good news from the doctor. My biopsy report is negative, just scar tissue.  I have been a wreck for the past week. The waiting game got to be worst. Thanks for everybody's concern and input.

New Day-

I am so happy for you!  Great news!!  

Yvonne,

You must be very stressed, waiting is what we all hate. I noticed you're new. Perhaps you might consider sharing if you had surgery and so forth....

Just wanted to welcome you here to the breastcancer.org discussion board. It's a place of support and venting, as we all know too well the strain that accompanies breast disease.

Sorry your having to go through this, and will keep you close in my thoughts for Thursday and beyond.

All the best to you,
Tender

On May 1, 2007, I was diagnosed with Stage IIA breast cancer on my left breast, had a lumpectomy, chemo and finished radiation on Jan 11th. My last oncology appt was Mar 7th. Yesterday, I had my pap/pelvic exam which included a thorough breast exam. The doc found a lump under my left armpit. I've also had cellulitis since Sep 2007 and then had surgery on Dec 29th to remove a lingering abscess connected to that. The drainage from that is still going. I'm going in today to meet with my surgeon so he can check out the cellulitis/drainage as well as the lump.

I'm concerned about the lump.

Mary