Small hard lump in breast after prophylactic mastectomy- trying not to worry...

Question

Hi, I had a double mastectomy in November 2015 after being diagnosed with Stage 1 ER+ PR+HER+ breast cancer in my left breast. The tumour was small (9mm) and no lymph node involvement. I had 6 rounds of chemo and 12 months of Herceptin and I am on tamoxifen. I had a bilateral mastectomy as I wanted to reduce the risk of getting cancer in my right breast (although I have no family history- it was more a peace of mind thing.) My reconstruction was done using implants.

Last night in the shower I felt a small, hard lump on my right reconstructed breast. I have did have a few of these lumps a few months after surgery and my PS said they were undissolved stitches which eventually went away on their own. It does feel like that (like a small ball bearing or the knot of the top of a stitch). It's not attached to my skin (I can move the skiin on top of it and it stays in one place but does move when I move my chest so I am assuming it is attached to my pec or implant. My brain is telling me that it is where my pec is attached to the alloderm and that it is an undissolved stitch but I can't help but worry. I'm seeing my plastic surgeon on Monday (rang this morning). The nurse said it was unlikely to be a stitch after this long but I also think it's got to be unlikely to be cancer as there was none in that breast and I had a CT scan 6 months ago and that was clear. If it was cancer it would have to be a new primary I guess and there is no-where for it to start from in that breast.... (see, I'm worrying myself sick)

Anyone have this happen to them?

Thanks in advance,

Roxie

primek · Answer

Oh Lordy..I had a spot recently that scared me silly but as my breast surgeon was a 1000km round trip away I used GPs and the oncologist to reassure me.

It could be anything. ..like a long term internal stich that doesn't dissolve with a bit of scar tissue round it even.

I think you will worry until you see the breast surgeon in reality. I just kept watching mine for sudden growth and change. As the skin is thin there you will see a change quickly so might be best not to feel it too much. (I know...you will keep checking it and this could inadvertently lead to inflammation ...so as hard as it is try to leave it be)

My red spot starting healing...turned out to be a pressure spot (I think from my saphire ring in bed...as the area is numb I wouldn't feel it if it was causing pressure). My oncologist said....cancer spots don't heal up. How true. Kath x

roxie66 · Answer

Thank you Kath- my gut instinct tells me that it is an internal stitch with scar tissue, my PS did say she used some non disolvable ones and this is right in that spot, but gosh it's nerve wracking. i really thought that I was getting past this constant worrying and thinking about cancer, but in one minute I'm right back there. x Roxie

brenda5 · Answer

Quickest easiest way to get to the bottom of it is an ultrasound. It doesn't take long and results should hopefully put your mind at ease. I am getting results of mine hopefully today.

roxie66 · Answer

Thanks Brenda- I will have to wait until Monday when I see my surgeon anyway but I'm sure she'll order one if she's unsure at all. I did have some lumps that felt a lot like this one a few
months after my surgery and she could tell right away they they were stitches so fingers crossed. Good luck with your results- is it for a similar thing?

roxie66 · Answer

I saw my surgeon today and she said it was a stitch from where the alloderm was attached to the pec. What a relief! Thanks for the support.

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Small hard lump in breast after prophylactic mastectomy- trying not to worry...

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