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Breast Cancer, Lump In Sternum, Getting Larger. Has Cancer Metastasized?
HI, I AM 15 YEARS OUT OF BREAST CANCER AND 56 YEARS OLD. I HAVE A HARD LUMP ON THE RIGHT
SIDE OF MY STERNUM AND IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING LARGER. I NOTICED THIS ABOUT 8 WEEKS AGO AND FINALLY ASKED MY HUSBAND TO FEEL IT. HE HAD ALREADY FELT IT A FEW WEEKS BEFORE BUT DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING. WHAT TYPE OF TESTING DO I NEED TO CHECK TO SEE IF THE BREAST CANCER HAS METASTASIZED?
SIDE OF MY STERNUM AND IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING LARGER. I NOTICED THIS ABOUT 8 WEEKS AGO AND FINALLY ASKED MY HUSBAND TO FEEL IT. HE HAD ALREADY FELT IT A FEW WEEKS BEFORE BUT DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING. WHAT TYPE OF TESTING DO I NEED TO CHECK TO SEE IF THE BREAST CANCER HAS METASTASIZED?
Fri, 20 Sep 2013
Hi!
welcome to HCM!
Lump over your sternum can be a benign swelling not related to breast cancer or it can be a recurrence or metastasis of breast cancer.
Sometimes a small number of breast cancer cells, that were too small to see, are left at the area of the operation after surgery. If this happens, these cancer cells may grow and form a new lump or metastasise. Lumps may form in the skin near the breast after a mastectomy, or in the operation scar.
However, most cancers that are found after treatment are new cancers and not a recurrence.
These recurrences can be treated and controlled, but it is important to report it to your doctor as soon as you notice it.
testing should be done by a USG guided FNAC.
hope this will help.
take care!
welcome to HCM!
Lump over your sternum can be a benign swelling not related to breast cancer or it can be a recurrence or metastasis of breast cancer.
Sometimes a small number of breast cancer cells, that were too small to see, are left at the area of the operation after surgery. If this happens, these cancer cells may grow and form a new lump or metastasise. Lumps may form in the skin near the breast after a mastectomy, or in the operation scar.
However, most cancers that are found after treatment are new cancers and not a recurrence.
These recurrences can be treated and controlled, but it is important to report it to your doctor as soon as you notice it.
testing should be done by a USG guided FNAC.
hope this will help.
take care!
I find this answer helpful
Dear Ma'am,
Sorry to hear about your problem. Considering your past history of breast cancer and the location of the lump, it is most likely a recurrence of the breast cancer, which you had in the past. You should not ignore this lump and get a FNAC (needle test)/ biopsy (tru-cut) done as soon as possible.
If it does turn out to be cancer, you should also have a metastatic work-up done in the form of a PET scan.
I would also advise that you get a mammography of the normal breast to rule out a cancer.
Hoping for the best.
Rohan Khandelwal
breast Surgeon
Sorry to hear about your problem. Considering your past history of breast cancer and the location of the lump, it is most likely a recurrence of the breast cancer, which you had in the past. You should not ignore this lump and get a FNAC (needle test)/ biopsy (tru-cut) done as soon as possible.
If it does turn out to be cancer, you should also have a metastatic work-up done in the form of a PET scan.
I would also advise that you get a mammography of the normal breast to rule out a cancer.
Hoping for the best.
Rohan Khandelwal
breast Surgeon
I find this answer helpful
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