Beau lines - no chemo - sign of cancer returning?

Are you on hormone blockers?

Hi Polar Bear , I have had this recently too on two of my fingernails but they’ve more or less grown out now. I had a lumpectomy 2 years ago followed by Anastrozole and radiotherapy. No chemo. It did worry me but I remembered having similar ridges following my op, so I wonder if stress is a factor? I didn’t know there could be a connection with the hormone therapy Londonmumof2? Like many of us here I regularly fear that my cancer has returned, but I decided with the nails to wait and see if they resolved themselves, which seems to have happened. I was very stressed over the past year trying to sort out issues around my job and early retirement so I did think maybe the nails were stress related. No harm in contacting your GP though Polar Bear to check it out. HFxx

Hi

I am on hormone blockers. I have been considering giving up work and think this could be the reason why the lines have started. I read that trauma could be s reason for causing them but why didn’t I get them when I was diagnosed 9 months ago? That was pretty traumatic! 
I also have concerns that the anastrozole isn’t working as it should. I am producing a clear vaginal discharge that usually happened around ovulation. I know I take hormone blockers but could there be a chance that I hadn’t gone through the menopause and should have been prescribed tamoxifen? I only say this because some years ago I had an ablation to my womb that caused scar tissue to form and I only spotted from then on which then stopped. I don’t think I had hormone tests prior to starting hormone therapy. 
I’ve just read this back and I sound pretty paranoid! 
I have an appointment at the end of the month at the breast clinic because I found a lump and the breast nurse had confirmed that the MRI from lsdt May showed there was a benign mass but They’ll check it out now that I have found it.

Roll on 27th! 

Polar Bear c

Hmmm , I never thought to associate these 'beau lines' with BC hmmm...... I can't recall if I had them 'before' - some how feel I did, but, not 100%.

I've attached a photograph of mine..... I am a nail biter by nature and go through phases of growing nails - I'm doing this at the moment.  I have nail varnish on my first and middle finger to show them up more, this is on my right hand, these are the only two fingers with lines on them, they are really deep.  My middle finger on left hand is the same and at about the same place .....

I did wonder, could these of been from a child... I did shut fingers in a deck chair when I was around 4 years old... I don't know, then I read about 'beau lines' and scared myself.  

I've just had a flash back, around twelve months after my treatment (lumpectomy and combined radiotherapy) both my big toes showed signs of bruising (like old blood underneath) - I put this down to wear a pair of shoes that were tight and uncomfortable - I can't help wonder now.... the marks grew out over around 12 months.  Owww all very strange.

They do say our nails give so much away in regards to our health.  My late mother-in-law her nails started to 'curl' down/under - we didn't think anything at the time, later on I read that this can be a sign of lung problems... sure enough my dear mother-in-law did have lung issues.

Polar Bear you have got me wondering if your finger nails look anything like mine ?

I see nothing has really changed with this site, things still not working....
It's not letting me post a photo from computer, I will have to submit post and add photo from mobile arrrrghhhh 

Hi

thanks for the photo. The varnish really shows them up. Mine are on both big toenails. There’s an article online about beau lines. If you look up images you’ll see that yours are the same. Nails can show symptoms of trauma and also signs of illness eg vitamin deficiency.

all the best x

Hi Polar Bear, 

I agree, they show up far more with the nail varnish (I can' wear it properly, as I try to pick it off).  

I did have one on my thumb some time back and actually was able to watch that grow out.  These two though, well, I can't think how lone they have been there.  (Such lovely hands I've got... not 

I'm interested to know if anyone else has these  and are they something I need to be mentioning to 'anyone' ??

xxx

This thread is really interesting. I’d never heard of Beau lines before!  It’s exactly what I’ve got on the nails on my two big and two second toes.  Having done a quick Google, I read that most commonly, they are seen in chemotherapy patients in reaction to a drug, which makes sense for me as I had Paclitaxol chemo. Good article HERE.  Interested to find if hormone blockers cause it too.

The affected nails are growing extremely slowly compared to the others, but at least they’re growing.  And from having lost big toenails before when trekking, they take almost a year to totally grow back so it’s just a matter of waiting I guess.

Thanks for bringing the subject up as I was wondering why the ridges were there!

Loffie x

Thanks for the link. I haven’t had chemo but can understand how it must affect your health no end. It’s amazing how something as innocuous as a nail change can get your attention. :-)

Thank you for thisLoffie, like Polar Bear says it does make you wonder how amazing the human body is, showing us signs - if we only knew to look.  

Thankfully, I was blessed not to had chemo treatment, however, like you mention about the hormone blockers... I was put on letrozole 'before' operation whilst arrangements were made for my treatment and in that time the letrozole had shrunk it a little bit.

I have also heard it referred to as a 'type of chemo' treatment - so this would partly make sense with Polar Bears toes and then I can add in that my two big toes 'bruised' and had to 'grow out' which took well over a year... I did try to blame my shoes for being too tight (worn to a funeral and ended up standing up for a long while afterwards - but... I have have worn tight shoes in the past and not had this issue, it was just that I could relate to shoes been tight and me having the bruising under the nail bed..... this was a while after surgery - not sure which to think). 

My finger nails though, these ridges are 'really deep'.  I was diagnosed with a supposedly 'rare' skin condition 'before' all this happened...... after operation it has calmed down from off my neck and only shows a little on my hands (which I can live with).

Like Loffie says 'it is very interesting' xxxx 

Hi there, I know this is an old thread, but did you get to the bottom of this? I am 10 + months post masectomy and did not have chemo, but had RT.  I have been on Anastrozole for 9 months. I’ve just noticed these ridges towards the top third of both of my toe nails and was curious about the cause? 
Hope someone can shed some light - Mickey x