Following Cancer Care: Scar Tissue
It is not uncommon to develop scar tissue after having surgery and/or radiation therapy to treat different kinds of cancer. It is always important to know and understand the risks of any surgery you choose to undergo.
The MayoClinic: Breast Cancer Surgery reports some of the risks of having breast cancer surgery may include:
Bleeding
Infection
Collection of fluid at the operating site (seroma)
Pain
Permanent scarring
Loss of or altered sensation in the chest and reconstructed breasts
Wound healing problems
Arm swelling (lymphedema)
Risks related to the medicine (anesthesia) used to put you in a sleep-like state during surgery, such as confusion, muscle aches and vomiting
With this said, there are multiple kinds of breast surgery, some more invasive than others and therefore tend to carry a larger risk of complications. The MayoClinic: Breast Cancer Surgery describes the following types of common operations:
Surgery to remove the entire breast (mastectomy)
Surgery to remove a portion of breast tissue (lumpectomy)
Surgery to remove nearby lymph nodes
Surgery to reconstruct the breast after mastectomy
Along with the other side effects of radiation therapy and the above risks of surgery, the formation of scar tissue can unfortunately have its own effects. BreastCancer.org: Scar Tissue Formation notes the following additional compliations:
If scar tissue forms around a nerve or a bundle of nerves, nerve pain or numbness may result.
Sometimes scar tissue can form around a stitch in the skin after surgery and form a lump as a result. This is called a granuloma.
Scar tissue can also cause changes in breast appearance. Scar tissue and fluid retention can make breast tissue appear a little firmer or rounder than before surgery and/or radiation.
To prevent scar tissue from forming it is important to follow your surgeon’s post-op instructions to a ‘T’. When the surgeon deems it appropriate, get those healing incisions moving to prevent the scar tissue from forming.
If however, we have missed this window or despite your best efforts the scar tissue has formed already and is causing stiffness, pressure, or pain, there are a few things we can do to help manage its effects and get the tissues in the area moving again:
Additionally if you are worried about the appearance of scars there are many over the counter gels, ointments, and creams that can help lighten their appearance.
References
Ashleigh Low, Registered Physiotherapist