Disclaimer

Although we take care to ensure accuracy, Macmillan Cancer Support does not accept liability for the information and materials provided or referenced in Ask an Expert or for any errors or omissions in them, or for third-party information or services such as other websites we may link to. The information and materials provided or referenced in Ask an Expert are for information purposes only and are not intended to be legal, financial or medical advice or opinions. If you need more details on your rights, please contact a financial, legal or other appropriate adviser.

We recommend that you consult your doctor if you are concerned about your health. Any You should not rely on any information and materials provided or referenced in Ask an Expert including by our Experts as they are not a replacement for advice, diagnosis or treatment from your medical team, and our Experts cannot provide a second opinion to that of your medical team.

Your question can be read by others – so please don't post your contact details or any other information that could personally identify you. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Community Guidelines for more details.

picc line bruising

fiddlesticks
  • 1 reply
  • 44 subscribers
  • 638 views

Hi,

     Just a quick question on whether this is normal? 

I had a PICC line fitted on Friday, district nurse checked saturday. All fine.

 First chemo (EC) was Monday.  Since then the area around the line has got a yellow bruise with purple edging. A  little dry blood on the end of the blue line going into the skin.

I feel ok. No temperature. I assume the bruising is probably normal and just due to the chemo drugs being injected. But wanted to check i didn't need to ring the chemo unit or district nurses if this is an unusual thing?

Thanks for your time.

  • Hi fiddlesticks

    Thanks for getting in touch. Welcome to the online community.

    My name is Paula and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

    I can see you have joined the breast cancer forum. I hope you’re finding it helpful sharing your experiences with others.

    It’s good to hear your PICC line was checked on Saturday and prior to your first EC treatment. Some people can experience some bleeding and bruising for a couple of days after a PICC line is inserted.

    However, although you feel ok and don’t currently have a temperature I would (on the side of caution) contact your chemotherapy unit for further advice. This is just to make sure they are happy with the late bruising that has shown up post treatment.

    I hope this information is helpful, please don’t hesitate to get back in touch if there is anything else, we can help you with.

    Best Wishes

    Ref: AKR

    Paula-Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 
Help us do whatever it takes, because we’ve never been needed more.

© Macmillan Cancer Support 2025 © Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2400969. Isle of Man company number 4694F. Registered office: 3rd Floor, Bronze Building, The Forge, 105 Sumner Street, London, SE1 9HZ. VAT no: 668265007