Anyone ever had a large, hard lump in breast after Lumpectomy surgery?

@seabright2001 do be wary of internet information as there is plenty advice from non
professional sources. Best to check the source to be sure it is from a valid source such as National Institute of Health or the cancer society.

@annie7970 it could be a few different things that I can think of, cyst, moving scar tissue, bruising, etc. but a new cancer lump is also possible. It is definitely something I would get checked out. If it is new, it is concerning.
Something’s your doctor can figure out in the office, but some things you might need to get imaging. I always want to get as much information as possible to make an informed decision.
Do you have a doctor you are comfortable with calling for an appointment?

@annie7970 I had lumpectomy in each breast four years apart. Neither lump was even slightly painful but they were cancer. Small and radiation after each. So no pain is not an indicator. All is well so far.

@mchler73 Hi! Checking to see if your seroma ever reduced in size? Less painful?
Seems i have a long narrow seroma along the inframammery suture line after a surgery last year to make an adjustment on breast size (after dcis surgery jn 2022). And i feel a rubbery lump closer to the nipple. I guess they hope it will just go away - but wondering if yours did?

@triciaot I actually had to have a re-excision so the Seroma was surgically removed when he went in to do that. If not for that, idk what the outcome would have been.
Do they think the rubbery lump is a Seroma? Are they watching it?

@lynnn I felt comfortable sharing the link from breast cancer.org.

@mchler73 The radiologist took a second look at my MRI, Aug 2025, and said they are not seeing anything concerning where I’m feeling a rubbery lump. It is thought to be from the last surgery - it is near the suture line but floats under the skin, feels tethered to something inside to me. Its the location i find worrisome as it is below, not under, the aureola. But they did open up the entire anchor suture line, i did not realize they would need to cut open so much. And its very possible that this area already had surgery trauma damage and more surgery left more internal scarring. I trust the radiologist, this is at MD Anderson breast radiology so they’re pretty familiar with what they're looking at. But a lump is a lump is a lump - establishing stability (not growing) is the important thing, and that means waiting for the next scan. Sigh!

However, they have scheduled me for an MRI and a 3D mammogram and an ultrasound at my next follow up in May. I think thats because the seroma on the lateral scar line doesn't show up well on the mammogram. I’m glad they’re doing an ultrasound as that could possibly do a better job of finding a lesion that might be hiding near any internal scar. I think one of the issues is that any scar can have a blood supply during the scar healing process - and any area with a blood supply can feed a cancer cell lurking by.

Most days I set this all aside with the knowledge that I’m getting good care, that I trust.
But evry once in a while, what I call Pandora’s Box pops open and the ugly escapes. I re-assess the ugly, remind myself of my decisions, and stuff it back in the box.

@seabright2001 you did the right thing with checking the source. I bookmarked the one to which you referred as it is a reputable and trustworthy site. I always check the source to be sure I get accurate information. Thanks for that.

@lynnn You do need to be careful searching for accurate information on the internet.

Yes, I had a similar problem right after my lumpectomy in 2022. Mine turned out to be a seroma that finally "popped" open through my surgical scar. I had about two cups of fluid that ended up all over my bedsheets. It was a graphic ending to my questioning.