Mystery solved: Radiation "exit" on other side of body!
Late last year, about a year after my radiation, I noticed a patch of dark red/brown skin - roughly rectangular, about 8X5cm - under my remaining breast (opposite my mastectomy and radiation treatment side). Not sore, not itchy, just there. I don't know how long it had been there, because I don't take much notice of my remaining breast any more. I was putting on moisturiser at Christmas time and happened to be standing in front of mirror when I lifted my breast and saw it. GP mystified, suggested Cortisone cream. No effect. During annual scan in Feb, radiographer/radiologist mystified. A week later, during casual conversation with "mature-age" paramedic while being taken to hospital for severe vertigo, he suggested radiation "afterglow"; said he'd seen it before, on opposite side of body from treatment. GP amused by that. Breast surgeon's sidekick mystified. GP did biopsy - nothing suspicious, but not identified ... nobody knew what it was. It's gradually fading and outline blurring. During teleconsultation (annual check) with medical oncology department in June, I mentioned it to the sidekick oncologist. He immediately said, "Definitely radiation. Seen it before." I'll have my teleconsult with Radiation Oncology in October. Interesting that so few people seem to know about this side-effect. I've lost the photo I took when it was fresh and dark red/brown. The first photo here was in March, when biopsy spot was healing. Second photo in April.
