Masses can develop in every part of the body and the foot is no different.
If we see a lump underneath the skin on the foot we have to examine and assess that and we will attempt to make a diagnosis from x-rays, MRI’s, graph CT’s or other studies to assess the depth of the mass and see if there’s any deeper involvement of the tendon or tissue mass.
There’s skin masses relegated to the skin which we like to biopsy these and/or remove them to determine whether or not they are malignant or non-malignant.
We attempt to provide the best care to our patients and therefore we want them to know that as soon as possible if the mass is potentially malignant. So removing and biopsying as soon as possible is very important in determining the prognosis and preventative treatment if necessary for any found malignancies.
So we start with the skin and if there’s an unusual lesion we can remove that excise it and get it tested for malignancy. If it’s large we can do a punch biopsy and proceed accordingly.
If there’s a lump on the foot, after getting some of the radiology or radiographic studies, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or CAT scan we will determine whether or not there’s deeper involvement with bone and we will certainly excise and biopsy the mass in order to insure that it’s not malignant.
However, it if is malignant we will get the refer the patient and get them connected to get the proper care for the malignant mass as soon as possible.
FAQs
What are the symptoms of foot cancer?
The symptoms can be an unusual growth or discolored lesion in the foot on the skin that changes colors or has a different array of colors.
For example, if a skin lesion contains a variety of color combinations of reds, browns, and grays within it, we are concerned with the multicolored presentation and it makes us more concerned about the nature of it and potential malignancy.
If the borders are irregular around the lesion, if not symmetric and circular, then we are more concerned and the only way to determine is biopsy.
If the lesion is elevated and its higher away from the skin, then we are concerned. If it changes within a small amount of time from week to week and if the growth is significant, we are also are concerned about the potentially malignancy of the mass.
What is a foot tumor?
A foot tumor is any elevation …
It could be a tumor on the bone which may not present a skin elevation but on an x-ray you may see an increased elevation on the bone that looks like a bubble within or on the bone, and this could be a bone or a foot tumor.
Can you have foot cancer?
Yes, you can have cancer of skin in the foot.
You can have cancer in the bone of the foot that comes from metastasis that often presents with swelling, pain, and a limp.
You can have bone cancer in the foot that develops insidiously or spontaneously in the foot.
You can have cancer presentations in the foot whether it be in the skin, the soft tissue, or the bone.
What causes a ganglion cyst on the foot?
Ganglion cysts develop around soft tissue where there’s a collection of fluid.
Usually this occurs around the tendon sheath, a nerve, and/or a joint capsule where there’s a gelatinous or a clear fluid within a confined cyst of connective tissue and creates like a bubble around these areas.
Is osteoma a cancer?
Osteoma is a certain type of tumor.
If you have osteoma in a bone it is a bone tumor. We would have to take a culture of that bone lesion and send it to pathology. It’s not usually not considered a malignancy.
How long does it take to recover from a foot operation?
It depends on the severity or significance of the injury but usually 4-6 weeks for most injuries is the norm.
The inflammation process is typically 4 to 21 days after the injury is the initial process of the body and then you go into a phase of repair for the soft tissue which is usually about a 1 month or two and then 3 months after the injury the body goes into what we call a remodeling phase for any damaged tissue.
So if you have significant damage you could have scar tissue that’s being remodeled at 6-12 months. You may not have any pain at that time, but you may see a bump or see reoccurrence or swelling during that period which is not out of the norm.
How long does it take to recover from a ganglion cyst removal?
Usually a few weeks, it depends on how large it is and location of the cyst.
We would excise or remove it, then around 2 weeks you’d be getting your stitches out, unless it’s around the joint which moves, then you can probably start walking in a regular shoe at around 3-4 weeks and then resuming your activities at the 4 week point.
How long does it take to heal from neuroma surgery?
It usually takes around 4-6 weeks to heal from neuroma surgery.
The excision of the neuroma from the dorsal aspect of the foot, 2 weeks stitches come out, another 2-3 weeks of scar tissue healing, pain reducing from the removal of the tissue around that area.
So you’re talking about a month to 6 weeks before attempting physical activity.
What is this bump of my foot?
The bump on your foot could be a number of things.
First, we need to be concerned that it could be a tumor so you need to get it examined from the skin standpoint it could be a deformity that is indicating a change in the bone structure below that area which could be a bone tumor or a structural reaction of the bone from exceptional stresses.
It could be from an injury underneath the bone, it could be from a mass growing which we would need to determine if it is malignant, non-malignant, or aggressive and get appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
It could be a tumor in the bone or a break, a stress fracture, that is causing a lump in that area.
It could be something less serious but certainly long-term painful it could be arthritis developing around a joint of the foot.
It could be fluid collecting and change the efficiency of the veins in the legs in returning that fluid back to the heart, so you could be experiencing increased swelling from circulatory concerns.
So these are all things that we look at starting with making sure your circulation is good. And then being concerned and at least asking the questions, is this something that could be a malignant tumor which requires expedited treatment and care to prevent something even more serious long term.
