Axillary seroma

Dear Whatayear,

Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to the online community, I hope you find it supportive. My name is Carla and I’m one of the Cancer information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.

I am sorry to read that you have developed an axillary seroma. I would assume this is following surgery for breast cancer.

After breast cancer surgery, There are some common side effects that people can experience, including developing a seroma.  

A seroma normally occurs under the arm or in the breast or chest wall and is usually reabsorbed by the body over time. Sometimes a seroma will refill after it has been drained, so it may need to be aspirated several times over a few weeks before it goes away completely.

We are unable to offer specific guidance here at Macmillan, as we are separate from the NHS services and therefore unable to access your patient records to give individualised advice.

I would direct you to give your Breast Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) a call to discuss recommendations in your specific case.

I can see that you haven’t joined any of our online forum groups yet. You might find our Breast Cancer Forum a helpful place to start. It can be useful to talk to other people who have experience of the breast cancer journey.

If you think it may be helpful to chat things over in more detail with one of the nurses here, I would invite you to give us a call on the below number. We can often explain things better over a spoken call with the opportunity to ask questions. 

If you have any further questions, please get in touch by email, webchat, or phone. We would be glad to support you in any way we can. 

Best wishes,

Carla, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.

Ref: CC/AR

Dear Carla

Thanks for your reply. Yes, it was following a full AND on 28th August and is proving very stubborn to clear. My Breast Surgeon thinks this is due to the extensive chemotherapy/immunotherapy I have had since February. It is clearing slowly but the Consultant Radiologist has had me have it aspirated for a second time (250ml this time, 1 litre the first time)  as the planning CT showed it to be too extensive and would have compromised my lungs and hit the wrong spots if he had gone ahead with it as it was.

My Breast Nurse has now got back to me with the answer on the bra when taking 1 hour lie-downs and advised to not wear one as it will give the fluid a chance to drain easier. 

Thanks again.

Whatayear

Hi once again

It is now over three weeks since the end of my breast and scf node radiation treatment during which treatment had to be stopped and I was sent home without treatment on two separate days before  drainage the next day of the seroma of 250ml each time.

At the end of radiotherapy I was told the seroma had appeared to have "stabilised".

The seroma is however now growing harder and larger and is causing considerable discomfort and some pain in my upper arm as I can no longer hold my arm flat by my side. The size appears to be between the size of golf ball and a tennis ball and growing daily.  The swelling also is extending into my back behind the armpit.

• My Breast Nurse is very dismissive and tells me this is normal after radiotherapy but as I did not have radiotherapy to the armpit where an axillary node clearance was done, I find it hard to understand why this area would be affected in this instance. (My Breast Surgeon refused to aspirate it before radiotherapy treatment).

How long would you advise me to wait before I return to my BN? Should I  wait another three weeks which is the end  of the six week anticipated side effects period advised by the Consultant Radiologist? 

Kind regards

Whatayear

Hi Whatayear
Thank you for contacting Macmillan Cancer Support. My name is Hilary, one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialist’s on the Macmillan Support Line.
I’m sorry to read that you are still being troubled with the seroma following the completion of your breast cancer radiotherapy. It must be disappointing not to mention painful to find that after some stabilisation it has begun to grow again, harder and larger.
I can see from your post that it is becoming restrictive and causing you pain and discomfort as it is beginning to extend into your back.
You mention that your Breast care nurse doesn’t seem concerned and indeed it is acknowledged that repeated drainage can encourage the seroma to refill. Also, the procedure carries a small risk of infection. However, if the seroma is causing problems, then further drainage should be considered. It’s not clear about how long it is since your Breast Care Nurse last saw it and examined it. But you are in pain and discomfort, and it is restrictive and needs to be addressed.
We always recommend that for any new, changing or worsening symptoms, they are reported without delay. We therefore recommend that you contact NHS 111 this evening to speak to them about your situation. We would also recommend that tomorrow, you follow this up with a call to your Breast care Nurse and ask to be seen.
If there is anything else, we can help you with, please feel free to get back in touch.

Best wishes
Hilary,

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.

Ref: HC/MH