Could it be scar tissue from a previous surgery

Hello,
In 2006, I had surgery on my right breast due to bloody nipple discharge.  The surgeon removed the infected milk ducts, biopsied the milk ducts, which thankfully came back benign.  Recently, my right breast feels very hard, like a rock.  It has felt different since the surgery, but now it seems the hardness is more pronounced and filling more of the breast.  Could this be scar tissue? I had a Mammogram in March of 2009 and nothing was present then, however, my breast wasn't as hard as it is now. (I hope I'm making sense) I am not sure what to do.  I'm not due to go back to my OB/GYN until Feb of 2010.   This is not related to my cycle, I had a complete and total hysterectomy about 10 years ago. Thank you in advance for your guidance!

[zouzi]

Any changes that you detect involving only one breast should never be ignored,especially that you had a previous problem with that particular breast.The chances of it being scar tissue three years post surgery would be doubtful.. it could be really nothing serious, but in a very small percentage of women who will describe the same symptoms as you, "hardness," or "thickening" of one breast, it can be something to be concerned about.I wouldn't wait, if I were you, till next February to have this "hardness" checked out.I think it would be good if you could schedule an appointment with a breast Specialist,or the Surgeon who has previously treated the same breast.Wishing you all the best.

[dq1969]

Thank you for your advice on the question above.  I have a doctors appointment on Monday December 7th to discuss the hardness of my one breast. The hardness of my breast is between the 8:00 and 12:00.  Well, I also found an area of thickness on my right breast that has me concerned. It’s at the 3:00 position on the areola, close to the nipple.  I only feel the thickness when I put my thumb on one side and forefinger on the other and gently squeeze, I do not feel the thickness when I do my BSE by applying pressure to the top of that area.  I keep thinking that its scar tissue from the removal of the infected ducts surgery in July 2006, except I know it wasn’t there two weeks ago.  Since, I only feel the thickness while gently squeezing the area and I do not feel the thickness while applying pressure to the top of the area, what are the chances it’s something to worry about?  Have you ever heard of anyone finding a cancerous growth this way?  December 7th seems so far away.

[zouzi]

Hi,
Breast thickening or hardness, can be many things and depending on how it feels to the doctor who examines it and how it appears on mammogram or ultrasound would determine whether or not biopsy is needed. I know it's hard not to worry when you are going through all of this,but breast thickening as I said, can be many things,including fibrocystic changes that can cause breast thickening and this is a benign condition,but we cannot  venture in telling you what this really is.In a few days (Next Monday) you'll be seeing your doctor and the appointment is not too far away.I wish I could have informed you more about this,but you know that the best information will be obtained only from the doctor who will examine you and treat you accordingly.I really wish you the best,and may everything turn up just fine for you.Take care and God Bless. PS,Please keep us posted.

[dq1969]

Thanks again for all of you advise.  Well, I went to my doctors yesterday and he is referring me to a breast surgeon to rule out cancer.  He said he felt what I felt and wasn’t really sure what it was – could be scar tissue, could be something else.  He seemed pretty confident that it’s benign.  The earliest date I could get with the surgeon is December 28th – I don’t know if I can make it more weeks.  

[zouzi]

Hi,
I am glad that you are going to see a breast surgeon so that this matter can be investigated.Your surgeon might want to do a biopsy, which in my opinion will be the best solution to find out the real cause of this breast thickening.If you find that waiting till the 28th is too long,try to call your surgeon's office to see if they can give you an earlier appointment in case they have a cancellation.Best wishes and good luck PS please keep us posted..

[dq1969]

Hi Again,
I went to the breast specialist today (they were able to get me in earlier) and was totally expecting to hear fiber cystic changes.  He did feel the area on the breast that I felt and did a sonogram of that area.  He said there is something there, but isn’t sure what it is.  The course of action is to have a diagnostic mammogram done to see if there are any changes from my annual in Feb of 09 until now.  He also said regardless of the mammogram results he wanted to perform a biopsy and take several samples from that area.  He also mentioned there is one type of breast cancer that can act this way, not real easy to see on a mammogram or sonogram.  Do you know what type of breast cancer he is speaking about?  Thanks again for being there!

[zouzi]

Hi,
There are many kinds of lesions that might not show up on mammograms or ultrasound,I am not sure what your doctor means by "only one type"of breast cancer that acts this way...unless he is talking about IBC whichis very rare and can act this way, but aside from the hardness and thickening that you have described, there are also other symptoms that could be there if it's IBC.. Typical presenting features include warmth, tenderness, redness of the skin of the breast, orange-peel appearance of the skin, and breast edema.There may be no palpable mass in the breast.
You did not mention any of these additional symptoms.So,I really don't know what your doctor meant.The good thing is that you are having a biopsy done so you will know for sure what the problem is.I wish you an uneventful biopsy and most of all that the outcome will be favorable to you.Take care and God Bless....