Rib pain...worried

HI Cloverfield1!  I finished chemo for triple negative breast cancer in July this year and have experienced intermittent rib pain, even when resting.  I mentioned it to my oncologist and she explained that chemo can affect bones, muscles and joints and cause aches and pains for weeks and months after finishing treatment. I had a clear CT and bone scan in August.  I'm starting radiotherapy next week and have heard from other women that rads can cause rib pain too.  Could you ask for a bone scan if you are really worried?  I expect it will be nothing but best to get it checked out and put your mind at rest.  Take care, Sarah x

Hi Sarah 

Thankyou so much for your reassuring reply...I had a bone scan prior to chemo which was clear in march so I'm not too sure if they will scan me again so soon but I'll ask

Thanks again xx

no problem, sorry, didn't read your first message properly re the bone scan in March!  Could you ask for an MRI may be? At least there is no radiation to worry about then.  Hope all is well. x

• Hi...you ll think I'm mad..I had another mri only about 8 weeks ago of the chest area as I had a swelling that's turned out to be nothing in the other breast....so I'm wondering if its possible to have any spread in such a short time since the scan..but I was aggressive grade 3...I maybe being paranoid...the pain is like a dull aching..bruised kind of pain it's not excessive its ribs mainly on my side towards my back x

HI, was yours triple negative bc too?  I wouldn't have thought there would be much chance of spread within 8 weeks but am no expert! Even with an aggressive breast cancer, the cells would need a certain amount of time to divide and form another tumour.  The main thing is that your recent scan was clear which is really good news :) x

Hi Lovely...no I'm HER2 negative oestrogen positive on tamoxifen...but it was grade 3 & unfortunately had gone to 4 lymph nodes with lymphovascular invasion so I'm just a bit concerned...but yeah my husband said the same as you that the scans were both clear & too recent...hopefully xx

Hi - sorry to hear you are suffering with rib pain. I finished radiotherapy to the breast Jan last year and still have rib pain (mild) on that side going right into my back. I had my annual mammogram last week and mentioned to my consultant who wasn’t at all concerned. I had a chest x ray in March and nothing showed. I certainly under estimated the effects of radiotherapy x 

Thankyou so much for your reassuring reply...I agree I also underestimated radiotherapy especially after chemo....but that's fantastic news your xray was clear...hopefully its onwards & upwards for both now

Hi Cloverfield1, I finished 15 rounds of radio in March, 2 surgeries, first on 24 Dec & another 3 weeks later in Jan. I have horrendous rib pain so much so I was brought in and seen during Covid by surgeon & was scanned. Again nothing showing. Surgeon said he ‘hopes’ it will get better, but didn’t seem too concerned, I got the feeling it was to be expected unfortunately. Hard getting used to this ‘new normal’ xx

Hi Betabug yes I was scanned again last week & thankfully it was clear....we have unfortunately got this cloud over us all now where all these pains are a real worry...hopefully with time the worry will ease xx