Early Stage Breast Cancer and Scleroderma
Hi, I'm 53 and I have just been diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. Unfortunately due to having Scleroderma, a connective tissue - autoimmune disease, I cannot have radiotherapy, which would...
Forum Discussion
Hi there @RobynKay
. I have scleroderma, started out as C.R.E.S.T., but now the opinion is that it may now be systemic. I also have antiphospholipid antigen syndrome and Sjogren's. I had a bilateral mastectomy in 2017 and was also told that radiation was off the table due to interstitial lung disease, from the scleroderma). My surgeon said that the wound would have to be closed in a different manner to the usual way, with different layers having the tension going in opposite directions. I also had a vacuum dressing with an attached pump which gave the wound negative pressure. I never pushed for reconstruction as there was a general consensus that the healing would not likely be straightforward due to the connective tissue being abnormal. My scar goes from armpit to armpit and has healed well although I do feel a considerable amount of tightness across my chest. Feels like wearing a very tight bra.
. I have scleroderma, started out as C.R.E.S.T., but now the opinion is that it may now be systemic. I also have antiphospholipid antigen syndrome and Sjogren's. I had a bilateral mastectomy in 2017 and was also told that radiation was off the table due to interstitial lung disease, from the scleroderma). My surgeon said that the wound would have to be closed in a different manner to the usual way, with different layers having the tension going in opposite directions. I also had a vacuum dressing with an attached pump which gave the wound negative pressure. I never pushed for reconstruction as there was a general consensus that the healing would not likely be straightforward due to the connective tissue being abnormal. My scar goes from armpit to armpit and has healed well although I do feel a considerable amount of tightness across my chest. Feels like wearing a very tight bra.