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Q: Enlarged arm
asked by: cancergirll on November 3rd, 2009
New User
I am curious about my lower arm growing large and below
the skin it's much darker than normal. I have Her2 positive breast cancer, I a double deep lumpectomy then received FEC-D then rapid radiation (great and should be the norm for all b c patients), then I found out that I was Her2 positive, I was first diagnosed as Triple Negative. So I had Herceptin for almost a year, ended up with neutropenia so I stopped the hercpetin as it gave me side effects from the start of treatments. Now my arm the opposite side of where the bc occured is enlarged and becoming painful. I went to see an Onc, she was very busy and told me to watch to see if it grows and gets harder? Well it's growing, I have an ultrasound and a bi mam set up in three weeks time, but I am wondering if there is anything I can do to prevent the mass from becoming larger it is becoming painful to type and hold onto a novel to read. In a nutshell I am asking what the likely hood of this being cancer is, it does not look like Merkell cancer. I have a slightly high temp constant at about 99.1 or 99.2, not really high but constant and I am sweating profusly, yuck. Any ideas. thank you cancergirll
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MandMs
replied on November 5th, 2009
Extremely eHealthy
Women that have undergone radiation therapy for treating breast cancer, are at risk for developing lymphedema, or arm swelling due to impaired fluid (lymph ) drainage from the arm, under arm and breast area to other parts of body.
Arm infection may trigger developing lymphedema (if the swelling is red, hot, you may need to take antibiotics, too).
Early treatment of lymphedema is important to reduce its progression to worse, and helps controlling the symptoms.
You should see a physical therapist and ask for complex decongestive therapy.

Best wishes!
Marija
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cancergirll
replied on November 6th, 2009
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I wish it was lymphedema, and it's not in the arm on the side that they did the Sentinell Node Biopsy. Guess I'll just wait until the ultrasound and hope for the best. Thank you for answering.
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