Breast cancer rib pain

This is called post-mastectomy pain syndrome PMPS because it was first noticed in women who had mastectomies, but it can also happen after other types of breast-conserving surgery such as a lumpectomy. Pain may also be felt in the shoulder or surgical scar. Other common complaints include: numbness, shooting or pricking pain, or unbearable itching. Most women with PMPS say their symptoms are not severe. PMPS is thought to be linked to damage done to the nerves in the armpit and chest during surgery.

Rib pain or pain in the chest wall that feels like it comes from a rib may be caused by traumatic injury, muscle strain, joint inflammation, or chronic pain, and ranges in severity. Rib cage pain can be associated with bruising, difficulty taking a deep breath, joint pain, and more. Read more below to learn what may be causing your rib pain and when to seek treatment. Rib pain has a variety of causes. Rib pain following traumatic injury may be due to rib fracture, clavicle collarbone or sternum breast bone fracture, or internal injuries to the chest. Rib pain without traumatic injury may be due to muscle strain, joint inflammation, or chronic pain. Rib pain following traumatic injury should prompt emergent medical evaluation, particularly if the pain is severe or interfering with your ability to take a deep breath.

The spine is the most common site for bone metastases. Other common sites are the hip bone pelvis , upper leg bone femur , upper arm bone humerus , ribs, and the skull. When these cells are both working the way they should, new bone is always forming while old bone is being broken down. This helps keep the bones strong.

Metastatic breast cancer commonly spreads to the bones. Learn the signs and symptoms of bone metastasis — plus how to treat it. Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester. While breast cancer can metastasize to any bone in the body, it most commonly spreads to the spine, pelvis, ribs, and long bones of the arms and legs humerus and femur.