I am trying to find out about the treatment you have if you have a recurrence in the same breast.
I has a breast cancer in Nov 2006. I had ANC - ( 11 nodes all clear), mastectomy and radiotherapy to the chest wall and am on Tamoxifen for five years.
In 2007 I had a LD reconstruction with an implant.
If you have a recurrence in the reconstructed breast what treatment are you given?
Can they treat it properly if it is in the reconstructed breast - do you have to have another mastectomy? Can you have more rads if you had them to the chest wall after your mastectomy? Do they immediately give you chemo if you did not have to have it first time round?
Sorry for all the questions but I get very anxious - any advice appreciated.
I had a recurrence in the same breast after 20 years, first time round in 1985 I had a lumpectomy and rads. This time (2005) I had a mastectomy with immediate LD reconstruction and no you can’t have rads twice in the same area.
I can understand your concerns, I’am not sure what would happen regarding treatment having had reconstruction but I think I will worry about that if it happens.
Hi,
I had a recurrence in a reconstructed breast - it was just under the skin and around the nipple area (my surgeon had managed to keep my nipple). I did not have radiotherapy first time round, so I had radiotherapy this time and my consultant changed my hormonal treatment from tamoxifen to arimidex (with zoladex shots to suppress my ovaries). Had I not been ER positive, I was told that I would most probably have been given chemotherapy.
I was worried that the radiotherapy would damage my implant and reconstruction, but in fact it didn’t at all.
I too had recurrence in the reconstructed breast - a saline filled silicone implant. Sadly I had to have the reconstructed boob removed, i.e. another matectomy and also had to have total auxillary clearance as some lymph nodes were affected. You can’t have rads again, but I had chemo this time round as I did not have it when first dx. I was then on Arimidex for almost 3 years, but stopped due to serious side effects.
Thanks for this Birgit. When you had the mastectomy did they do another reconstruction? How did you recognize the recurrence - did you feel a lump or did the hospital pick it up at a check up? Sorry for so many questions. Thanks for sharing - it helps immensely.
Hi again, my recurrence in my reconstructed boob was about two years after the cancer was diagnosed in that breast. In fact, I had a 1cm lump in the breast itself and then a few smaller lumps that appeared around the nipple.
I got on OK with arimidex, but it only worked for a short time because I was then diagnosed with secondaries about a year after the recurrence in the reconstructed breast. I was switched to aromasin then, and subsequently onto chemo when it was felt the hormonals weren’t working for me.
I think if I could go back in time I would possibly go for chemo at the point of the recurrence rather than switch the hormonals, but nobody could foresee back then that arimidex wouldn’t do the job.
I had a reccurence in the same breast after 18 years, it was picked up by me I couldent feel a lump but just had this gut instinct I wanted someone to examine me, I had a mammogram and it was a reccurence apparently they can happen even after all these years, so have had a mastectomy and am waiting to have chemo I have not had a reconstruction I just wanted to get through this first as I had to have ct scans and bone scan before they would operate.Try not to worry too much about it coming back as you have to take each day as it comes dont waste precious time get on and live with your life and deal with it if it happens
Had a recurrence in same breast after 17 years picked up by ultrasound and missed or not visible on mammogram. Was told it was a cyst 6 months earlier on ultrasound! Had another WLE and am now on Arimidex for 5 years which luckily after nearly a year has stopped giving me major side effects. Am continuing to enjoy life as much as possible and trying not to think about it anymore - but it is not that easy at times. Am 69 and about to go heliskiing in Canada so lots of life and energy left in this granny!!
Hi abcde. To answer your question, yes, I did feel a small peasize lump on the front on my reconstructed boob, almost the exact place where the first cancer was. I could not have another recon, as there was not enough skin left and the chest muscle was also affected, so had to have total , radical mastectomy. I am fairly slim on the top half, so although they did take a bit of muscle away, it’s not too bad, only a very slight hollow and a lowish scar, so most low cut tops still fit. I was offered rads, but declined - long story, but would have affected other health problems in my throat - so had AC chemo. I am now being checked over every 6 months and my (very helpful) GP will also do any tests/screening etc. whenever he thinks something might be ‘amiss’. I do sometimes feel that I am fed up with the constant tests etc., but on the other hand, if they find something else, they can get going with treatment.
By the way, you don’t say whether you are actually suspicious of any lumps or just generally worried. If it is the latter, you might find that once you are a bit further down the road, the constant worrying will lessen and you are able to get on with things without constant fear. But I do appreciate your fears, I think they never completely go away, but hopefully in time become part of your life, rather than take it over.
Thanks Birgit - I can feel a very tiny lump on the scar of my reconstruction that I had about 6 months ago. I am going to get the breast care nurse to check it out - keep feeling sick in the pit of my stomach wondering what will happen if it has come back. Feel such a wimp really. Thanks for your kind words.x
I had a lump on my reconstruction 6 months after it was done - now a year ago on Saturday! It turned out to be fat necrosis, or scar tissue which is apparently very common. Having said that, I too was very worried about it and felt sick too every time I thought about it. Go and get it checked out, no one will mind - unfortunately, you have to go through the waiting game again - I hope yours is fat necrosis (lovely name!) too.
Oh Sally you have made me feel so much better. I am still waiting for it to be checked out. I hope it is fat necrosis too.
Thanks you for sharing and hope all is well with you.x
As you can feel a litle lump, please do have this checked out sooner rather than later. As Sally said, it might be nothing, so why put yourself through all this worry. Do let us know what the outcome is, we are all here to help and support.
Hi
Had a recurrence and they gave me taxotere and more rads as they calculated how much rads I had the first time round and decided I could have more. Monitoring me as it may be back on skin again. Hope you ok
love mel
Hey Melba
Thank you for your post. I have an appointment on Monday to get the lump on my reconstruction scar checked out. I am really anxious.
Did you have chemo the first time around or just rads? I had a mastectomy and rads as well as Tamoxifen. I had a reconstruction in October 2007 and recently have felt a tiny lump under the scar so am really worried it has come back.
When I first found my lump I had 6 fec, surgery and 20 rads, 1 yr of herceptin
when it came back I had 6 taxotere and 8 rads
now it back again I’m on herceptin, they seem to think although herceptin is not stopping it from coming back it’s containing it although if it does come back then I will be starting chemo tabs.
You have awful feelings don’t u but stay positive and let me know how you get on, I’m on most evenings if you want chat but I off out tonite darts!! I love it !!!
love Mel x