Skin Mets to Arm Pit?

[Deborah]

I wondering if anyone has had skin mets to the armpit area.

I had a mastectomy, 15 positive lymph nodes, and radiation to the breast and axilla. I also had chemo and herceptin. I finished radiation 9 months ago. I have a rash in my armpit that's been there for about 2 months. It doesn't hurt, it doesn't itch and it hasn't gotten worse.

[Ruth S]

Hi there - when in doubt go see your Dr.! Could it be a new deoderant, lotion or cream? New bra?
One of my bras irritated my skin from the elastic so that I had to get rid of it. Have you been sweating now that it is summer? I think the radiation affects the sweat glands under the arm. My hair is also not the same.
It could be so many things! But I certainly would not wait and go to your Dr. and have her/him look.
Ruth

[Sandy]

Ruth is right you need to see a doctor. I doubt its skin mets because I have skin mets and they start at the mastectomy scar line. Has anyone had skin mets that started else where? Let us know what you find out. Good luck to you. Hugs, Sandy

[cathyB]

Deborah - your rash could be an allergic reaction to deodorant, perfume, cologne,etc but I would definitely go see your onc. I had a lumpectomy, 4A/C, 2 taxol, 2 taxotere followed by 7 weeks of radiation. About a year later I noticed a rash on the affected breast which turned out to be skin mets. Since you can't really tell by looking, you might want to get one of the spots biopsied just to be sure. Good luck to you.!!!

[LYN]

Hi Sandy, my first skin mets was above the mastectomy scar, but if you consider all the pulling with the skin with surgery it would have been originally down lower, having said that my next skin mets was behind my ear and down to my neck, first treated with Xeloda and next lot Navelbine and now I have just finished rads and on Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin for lump and mets to ride side of neck, not sure if the skin mets has gone because the radiaiton to my neck just about cremated it, good side I have had a neck resurfacing along the way, this disease is not predictable so I would recommend a biopsy. At the time of my first skin mets I had another rash on my leg and one on my groin and all three were different, but 1 out of 3 was mets.

Love & Hugs Lyn

[Sandy]

Thanks Lyn! Have you ever been able to get them under control? I have fibromyalgia so have creepy, crawling, itching sensations all over my body. Am not able to tell if a bug is biting me. So far my skin mets have only been on my chest. all my scans in June were clean and have always been. I wish you luck. Big hugs, Sandy

[Lyn]

Hi Sandy, one thing about skin mets is my onc said it won't kill me!!! yipee, hopefully this treatment will get rid of it. Snap with the fibramyalgia, I had it, diagnosed it myself of course and the treatment is anti-depressants, the symptoms are brought on with lack of sleep, I got to the stage I was going to pass out when I walked and with headaches and aches and pains and started hallucinating skulls chasing me, but as soon as I went on the Prothieden (not addictive) it all settled, and they say we heal when we sleep so it makes sense. I love my Prothieden but I find I sleep better if I take 2 paracememol your Tyleno at the same time. Out of couriosty have your doc request a ANA (anti-nuclea antibody) blood test if you haven't already because all of this is connected with the imune system the one we keep destroying, I have a low grade connective tissue disorder called overlapping, Sjrogens, means my saliva glands have packed it in, another delightful side effect. Good luck and talk to you soon.

Love & Hugs Lyn