This Question Isn%E2%80%99t About Me. Its About My Mom. She%E2%80%99s

Posted on Thu, 25 Apr 2019

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Thu, 25 Apr 2019 Answered on

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Question : This question isn%E2%80%99t about me. its about my mom. She%E2%80%99s a 10 year breast cancer survivor. In January, she had a bout with cellulitis in her breast. she took antibiotics and it cleared up. Well it flared up again this week. it caused malaise and she went to the ED, got a shot of rocephin, and prescribed Keflex. It%E2%80%99s clearing up again; however, I%E2%80%99m a nurse AND a hypochondriac and she isn%E2%80%99t being the most positive person. She%E2%80%99s following up with her oncologist on Friday. My question is, since she%E2%80%99s diabetic, has larger breast, and had BCT 10 years ago is it normal for her to have 2 bouts of cellulitis in less than 6 months? Or is it a sign if Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

Follow up: Dr. Monish De (0 minute later)

This question isn%E2%80%99t about me. its about my mom. She%E2%80%99s a 10 year breast cancer survivor. In January, she had a bout with cellulitis in her breast. she took antibiotics and it cleared up. Well it flared up again this week. it caused malaise and she went to the ED, got a shot of rocephin, and prescribed Keflex. It%E2%80%99s clearing up again; however, I%E2%80%99m a nurse AND a hypochondriac and she isn%E2%80%99t being the most positive person. She%E2%80%99s following up with her oncologist on Friday. My question is, since she%E2%80%99s diabetic, has larger breast, and had BCT 10 years ago is it normal for her to have 2 bouts of cellulitis in less than 6 months? Or is it a sign if Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

Answered by Dr. Monish De (23 hours later)

Brief Answer:

Could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer

Detailed Answer:

Hi

Breast cellulitis is a complication which can arise following breast conserving surgery or radiation therapy for breast cancer.

Breast cellulitis may also occur in the breast following breast cancer treatments.

Breast cellulitis isn’t normally caused by infected cuts like other forms of the infection.

Instead, this type of infection mostly manifests itself from cancer treatments or surgeries.

Lymph node removal can weaken your immune system and increase her risk for cellulitis in the upper body. This includes your breasts.

This infection can also occur after breast augmentation or reduction surgeries.

It could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer

So would advise her bilateral mammography test and PET CT scan

Also she needs to do blood test for CA 15.3 and CEA

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj