hi, this is my first time to this site. About a week ago my mother discoverd a huge lump under her arm. Its not in her breast, however she says now her breast is sore through to her back. The lump is about the size of a golf ball and about as hard. Our doctor said he doesn't think its cancerous, but it has to come out. Fine. The surgon she was sent to has 60 people ahead of her and is retiring in this June. She had to request another specialist. There is no history of breast cancer in her family, however her mother died of cancer. It was behind her lung and ate through up into her breast and up into her shoulder joint, dislocating it. Her doctor told her and us that she just had arthritis! She died in 1998 after suffering for months. there is alot of cancer in her family, throat,and brain cancer on my grandfathers side, and my grandmother was cancer free for 25 years before it took her. when she was in her early 50's they took all her female organs, 18 inches of her bowl, piece of her kidney and all of her bladder in one operation, they gave her 3 mths to live. she survived 25 years.
so needless to say we are worried about mom, she does have a history of fibroids, which she passed on to me so kindly.
she had a hystroectomy when i was only 10 mth old due to fibroids, i had my uterus removed when i was only 22. I then had my overies and tubes removed 6 weeks before my wedding when i was 28. i would really like to comfort her and find out something for her, and do i have anything to worry about for myself?
thanks
If there's a lump in your breast, it needs attention whether or not you have implants. Whether it needs a biopsy depends on the characteristics of the lump and the opinion of an expert, as well as your own level of concern.
As to the MRI: implants get a "capsule" around them, which is a tough fibrous layer the body makes in reaction to the implant. If the implant ruptures, the contents may stay within that capsule (intracapsular), or leak outside it (extracapsular). It's generally true that silicon per se is not dangerous -- although as you know billions of dollars have been paid out by the makers of silicon implants, based, mostly, on phoney science. The part of the report about the pectoral muscle and lymph nodes is not specific: likely the nodes are enlarged due to the silicon. Again, what to do depends on putting together all the info; if you are uncomfortable with what you've been told, you should consider a second opinion, possibly at a university center.
My problem is pain affects the left side : breast, underarm, neck, arm, and rib cage with severe pain in the upper pectoral muscle.
I also found a lump in the one o'clock postion on the left breast three months ago, which I discovered while trying to determine why the pectoral muscle hurts so much.
The MRI confirms intra and extra capsular rupture of left silcone implant with intracapsular rupture of the right implant. The MRI also reports: "atypical hyperintense signal within the left pectoralis muscle at this level with multiple prominent lymph nodes extending into the axila, the largest of which is closest to the prothesis measuring 1.4 cm in diameter." Also, "there is diffuse bilateral parenchymal enhancement in the breasts."
My questions:
1. What does this mean?
2. Should I have biopsy of the lump?
3. Surgeons are telling me silicone is safe and there is no reason to have an explant and that MRIs lie.
4. If silicone rupture is not causing pain, what is? And what can I do about it?
Any answers you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Please be patient we are confident that this forum will reopen soon.
Regards,
Phil
Med Help
Hi Surgeon, do you have any updates about this Forum??
Please, help us by responding to our comments.
Thanks in advance on behalf of all of us:)
Hello all,
My wife has had swollen, painful lymphnodes under her arms for several months (since oct 04). It started under one arm and then only recently under the other. Her mamogram was fine. She's had 3 ultrasounds of the armpit and the 2nd time the doctor thought it got smaller, the 3rd time back to the same?!?!She has had her blood checked (yes, everything possible) and nothing shows up. She has no other symptoms whatsoever. She will now get a biopsy.
Is it always necessary to remove a lymphnode or is it possible with a less invasive procedure? Did anyone else have such symptoms which did not turn out to be cancerous? Anything anybody can otherwise recommend?
Thank you.