Rashes and Recurrence??

Westcoastgirl · 12-21-2009, 10:06 AM

Hi all, sure could use your experience and input. I have had a rash on my affected breast for about two weeks now. I have read that a rash can be a sign of recurrence. I have shown the onc and he said we will watch it but it bothers me to not have more input. It feels like hives and is quite itchy. It is the area under my arm that burned the most during radiation and I am only two months past. I am hoping it is something about the dry Winter weather and who knows what else. My husband says it is too early for recurrence but he has no idea of what he speaks. He also says it is not quite as bad as it was, but the affected area has grown larger. It is a hard area for me to see but I can feel it. Has anyone experienced this reaction? Thanks, Carolyn

Shobha · 12-21-2009, 11:51 AM

Hi Carolyn,

I had a similar experience a few months after the radiation and it turned out to be part of the healing of the skin and not a recurrence.

It does sound like a combination of dry winter weather and post radiation affects. I was told not to wear too many layers around that area since it would get very hot and also the sweat glands would clog up causing itchy rash. I was told to put a lot of 100 % pure Aloe Vera and wear soft cotton loose fitting clothes.

I was also prescribed BIAFINE which did wonders for my scar line and generally the entire skin.

Hope this helps..

Take care,
shobha

Lien · 12-21-2009, 12:27 PM

Sounds like radiation after-effects to me. I guess the doc can't be 100% sure, but it's so likely to be caused by rads, that he's quite unconcerned. Alas, after a BC diagnosis we are concerned about any and every symptom and many docs don't realize how scared we are and how little we trust our bodies. It gets better the longer you are out from diagnosis, but the first year it's really awful. I worried about every bruise, pimple, itch, scab, joint pain or rash. And I'm very allergic, so I've had my fair share of rashes.

You did the right thing: you had it checked. Now get out your digital camera and have your hubby take a shot every day, from the same distance, at the same angle and check it for changes every 3 or 4 days.

By the way: have you changed your laundry detergent? Soap? Lotion? Fabric softener? PJ's? The radiated area will be more sensitive than the rest, so it's likely that allergy symptoms will show up there first. And a dry atmosphere doesn't help either.

Hope you find out what it is soon! Have you tried taking an over the counter antihistamine? If that works, it's likely to be allergy, if it doesn't, that doesn't prove anything, because my rashes hardly ever respond to anti-histamines. But if it does work, it could be an easy way to set your mind at rest.

Love

Jacqueline

adrien · 12-21-2009, 03:11 PM

Hi Carolyn,
I had a rash with my first recurrence. Nothing showed on the mammogram (no lumps) so I had a mammotone biospy which was positive. Don't want to worry you but I'd persist with your oncologist.
best wishes,
Adrien

Faith in Him · 12-21-2009, 04:21 PM

I don't want to worry you either but my recurrence was a rash on the bad breast. This happened three months after rads. I never have had skin tumors, only a rash. I insisted on a punch biospy which was positive. I no longer have the rash after Xeloda and hyperthermia rads.

There is radation recall. I am hoping that is all it is for you.

Tonya

Rich66 · 12-21-2009, 05:59 PM

Tonya,
At what point did you have Xeloda. Don't see it listed. Was it during rads?

Midwest Alice · 12-21-2009, 06:15 PM

Adrien and Toyna,

What did your rash look like? Did it come and go? Could you feel bumps?

adrien · 12-21-2009, 07:52 PM

Hi Alice,
I had no bumps, just a simple rash on the side of the breast that had previously had a lumpectomy (5 years earlier). My nipple was enlarged but there were no other signs. No itchiness or lumps.
Good luck,
Adrien

Westcoastgirl · 12-22-2009, 08:07 AM

Dear Adrien and Tonya,
Thank you for responding and yes, I am very interested in what your rash was like. Tonya, please, what was your rash like...itchy, bumpy, red? Three months after radiation, golly. What is hyperthermia rads? I have not changed anything in the way of lotions, soaps, etc. I have also tried antihistamines and yet each day the rash is there. I have been wearing lots of clothes and come to think of it this started in a really cold snap, has warmed up again. The onc wants to wait and see it next time, which is now two weeks away.....sigh. I am wondering if it is a reaction to Femara??

Midwest Alice · 12-22-2009, 12:34 PM

I found a picture of skin mets.
http://www.ibcresearch.org/pictures/...tasis-part-ii/

Midwest Alice · 12-22-2009, 12:41 PM

My onc told me they can look like broken blood vessels, be bumps like bee bees under the skin, or look like little ovel scars.

http://www.ibcresearch.org/pictures/...sis-skin-mets/

Midwest Alice · 12-22-2009, 04:14 PM

I found another picture that is a little different. http://www.consultantlive.com/image/...=1241545195140

Faith in Him · 12-22-2009, 05:43 PM

Westcoast,

I had a red looking rash. It looked very angry and grew fast. It started on my upper breast and quickly grew almost up to my collarbone. I did not have any raised areas or bumps. Pathology came back as dermal lymphatic invasion of bc.

Hyperthermia rads is a procedure where radiation is given at a lower doseage and then a water bag heats up the radiation field. It is a way to give rads twice in the same area. I believe you can find info if you google it.

This could very well be a reaction to something. But, the wait is going to drive you crazy if you are anything like me. I would insist on a biospy sooner rather than wait 2 weeks. Hopefully, it will be nothing and you can move on. Not knowing is hard to deal with.

I am happy to provide you with more info about my experience. The good news is that this all happened in January 08 so I'm still here 2 years later and doing well.

Tonya

Faith in Him · 12-22-2009, 05:45 PM

Rich,

I started Xeloda after rads. I need to update my signature. I hate that the list keeps getting longer.

Tonya

Westcoastgirl · 12-23-2009, 08:20 AM

I am taking antihistamines to see if that makes a difference. Jan 4 I go back to the onc and of course my wish is that all will be well by then. I don't think the rash has gotten any bigger but it has not gotten any smaller either. I find it interesting that it follows the exact line of the radiation and is in the two areas that were the most burned by radiation. I read a lot about radiation recall and they link it to chemo as well as a few other things, including Tamoxifen, which I did none of after radiation. I kept reading and found one case of radiation recall linked to Femara. It does seem suspect as it is the only new thing in my life and the rash started about three weeks into the regime. I thank everyone for their input and for the pictures, which by the way my rash does not look like. The itching is driving me crazy but I will persist until Jan4 and we shall see. Thank you all.

CindyE · 12-25-2009, 03:29 PM

I've been fighting a rash for months now too. I was so afraid that I may have a recurrence too as it was mainly on my bad breast but in other places too. I went to my Onc Dr and got cremes and nothing seemed to help much. No one thought it was anything to worry about but me...

I finally got my Onc Dr to let me have a breast MRI and all is clear. Went to a dermatologist and he says it's a hives type rash. I'm taking OTC Loratadine (Claritin) and it's really helped as the itching was sooo bad. I'm going back to the dermatologist in a few weeks for a follow-up.

charlotte · 12-26-2009, 02:22 AM

I would also like to tell you that my inflammatory breast came back as a rash, itching, has fever.was about the size of a half dollar. It is now covering almost my entire chest area.. I had to go to 3 Drs before it was diagnosed... Dr. number 1...(oncologist) hmm. don'at know what it is... Dr. number 2.. I don't know either ( took a biopsy) Dr. number 3.(radiology expert) it and said this is inflammatory breast cancer.. by then over half my chest was involved.now it is almost completely over my chest.. Not to alarm you, but I really hope you follow through and see what is going on.. It will give you answers.. and I hope from the bottom of my heart , it is nothing..You have received some great suggestions here.. I also want you to get the answers,, the unknown is very hard on a person.. If you would like to email me or send a private message, I would be glad to share my experiences with you on this.. take care.. Iwish you all the best. Charlotte
By the way, I hope I didn't alarm you with all of this news from being here.. I hesitate to mention my journey, because we are all different..I don't want to sound "doom and gloom"..

Lien · 12-26-2009, 03:50 AM

Dear Charlotte,

I'm sorry you have gone through 3 doctors before you got a diagnosis you didn't want to get. Hope you are doing relatively well.

IMHO we all fear the worst anyway, so not mentioning it only makes us feel more isolated. Yes, it is terrible to hear that we may be as unlucky as you are, and ofcourse we hope we will turn out to have something that's easily treatable. But I'd rather be aware of what could be and get diagnosis and treatment asap, than not know and have more progression than I'd have had otherwise.

So thank you for sharing this and thank you too for thinking about our feelings. It is kind of you to consider those who are more fortunate than you are.

Love

Jacqueline

Midwest Alice · 12-26-2009, 01:25 PM

I have a rash on my chest that is visible when I get out of bed in the morning. Then an hour later you can"t see it very well. Do rash recurrences always maintain a redness no mater what your body tempt is?