Skin reaction to titanium marker after breast biopsy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's probably the marker. I had pain from mine and could feel it trying to worm its way out , or being ejected from my body. Turned out they didn't get a good biopsy sample and they had to do a lumpectomy. All pain and problems from the marker gone after it was removed with the lumpectomy. And my breast surgeon outright rejected that I was having any issue with the marker, well she was wrong.

Was your lump cancer? If it wasn’t cancer it wasn’t a lumpectomy, my breast surgeon was explicit about the difference. If it wasn’t cancer and they just need to remove it to do a full biopsy it was an excisional biopsy.

[Anonymous]

I had core needle biopsy 2 years ago. I said no to titanium markers so hopefully they did not put any in. That breast has been itching inside ever since. They checked a year ago & said there is nothing. Sometimes itching is very intense, other times almost nothing. Thought maybe scar tissue causing it. I had a lump surgically removed in same breast 20 years ago with no issues. I find it odd that this core biopsy continues to itch even 2 years later.

[Anonymous]

I would call the doctor who did the biopsy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got that resction from the steri strip tape or whatever they used for a bandage.

+1. It would be extraordinarily rare to have a reaction to the titanium marker. Like you'd be written up in a medical journal rare.
Steri-strip tape can contain latex or adhesives that cause itchiness, irritation, and redness.

[Anonymous]

You need to check with your doctor. Go with the doctor who performed the biopsy unless you are working with a breast surgeon. I guess I would worry about the possibility of infection but that's not an informed opinion at all.

I've had a million biopsies and ultimately had mastectomies with reconstructions. I had the beginnings of an infection in the incision after one of my reconstruction steps that was handled quickly by antibiotics, but never had anything weird happen after biopsies. That said, I get crazy rashes after Tegaderm bandages that take a while to resolve. Really hate them. Steri strips didn't have the same effect on me but I can imagine they might for someone.

[Anonymous]

There are a few confirmations that the titanium markers can cause allergic reactions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a few confirmations that the titanium markers can cause allergic reactions.

This is interesting. I had my biopsy years ago and got a rash afterwards, but my doctor said it must have been the steriprep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got that resction from the steri strip tape or whatever they used for a bandage.

Same. Rash and itching. Got bigger before finally fading.

[Anonymous]

I had 2 biopsy that were done on the side of my breast. I never felt any lumps before but now I feel a large one and I'm getting a rash all over on top of my breast that's no where near the needle insertion site. It's getting really itchy so I took some allergy medicine and applied some steroid cream which helped. The next day the rash spread to areas where I didn't apply the steroid cream, and it's pretty bad. I have a doctors appointment today to find out what's going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had 2 biopsy that were done on the side of my breast. I never felt any lumps before but now I feel a large one and I'm getting a rash all over on top of my breast that's no where near the needle insertion site. It's getting really itchy so I took some allergy medicine and applied some steroid cream which helped. The next day the rash spread to areas where I didn't apply the steroid cream, and it's pretty bad. I have a doctors appointment today to find out what's going on.

When was your biopsies? I have a scar from a biopsy but it’s a small bump.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone successfully had the marker removed and experienced a change in symptoms? I have itching, sometimes sharp pain and hives from time to time. It has been 13 months since the market was inserted. I’m 100% confident it’s the marker causing the reaction. My fear is that because this is rare, it’s going to be near impossible to get it removed. I’ve been waiting for a call back from the clinic who inserted the marker.

[Anonymous]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6718166/#:~:text=Adverse%20reaction%20to%20titanium%20markers,management%20of%20the%20patient's%20condition.

[Anonymous]

So this is funny to find a thread here as I recently had a biopsy with the titanium marker which like many of you I didn't think about beforehand enough to decline it. Was curious after how many have a negative reaction and came across the NIH study I posted in this thread above.

I bet it's actually incredibly common but women are gaslit to believe it's something else. Of course your body wants to reject a foreign body inside it!!! What a crazy "solution" to wanting to "mark" this spot, like we can't use our mouths to TELL a Dr. Esp in my case when the lump location is extremely obvious and visible on the outside. Makes me mad at our "modern" medical system.