Q. I have stage two invasive right breast cancer, have had a mastectomy and two nodes removed with cancer in one of them. I had AC chemotherapy ending a year ago this November. I found a lump on my left upper arm in the middle toward the inside of the arm. The lump does not move and is located on the muscle. Any suggestions?

A. Having had a history of invasive breast cancer and a mastectomy, I am certain that this finding concerns you. Unfortunately, having a breast cancer in one breast does increase your chances of getting breast cancer in the other breast. The lump that does not move and is located inside your upper arm is somewhat concerning. However, from what I can gather, the location you describe is not typical of an area that would be affected by breast cancer. For this reason, I remain hopeful that this new symptom is not an indication that your cancer has spread. Certainly, like any person who has had a cancer before, any new lump of concern should be evaluated by your physician.

I am certain that you are well read on breast cancer, but should you require additional information, the National Cancer Institute¹s breast cancer Web page is full of important information and several key links. This Web site can be found at: http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/cancer_types/breast_cancer.shtml

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