Breast question for my friend....

Hi guys.  I am normally in the anxiety forum, but my best friend is having a breast issue, and I told her how great the people are around here, so she asked me to post this question and see what I can get from it.

She is a 27 year old female.  She is a little overweight.  She has a child who is now 6 years old.  She has been having a feeling in her chest of soreness.  Yesterday, she noticed a lump between her collar bone and her breast itself.  It is pretty big, and it hurts if you press on it.  Oddly, it seems like the lump goes away sometimes.  The soreness she is feeling is all around the lump area, and actually most of her chest too. 

Does this sound like it could be breast cancer?  She is going to the doc next week, but until then she wanted some ideas.  Can a breast cancer lump hurt?  Could it be located where it is?  Can it sometimes feel like it isn't there?  And, I don't know what to compare it to...(I felt it too) it is pretty large, maybe 2 inches long or so, and an inch wide.  (just a guess) 

She is now experinecing what I can relate to as panic attack...though that could be coming from worrying about what this lump is, right?

Any suggestions would be apprciated!

Thanks in advance to all who answer...

 

Most of us had no symptoms other than a lump. With that being said, there is no way to know what it is, but statistically, the odds are very much in favor of this being benign. I think 80% of breast lumps are benign, and probably more for someone who is younger. "probably" is nothing to be sure of though, and she is wise to get it checked carefully. Advise her not to let them dismiss her just because she is young, I was 30. Some of us had lumps that were cancerous that hurt. Others had no symptoms and others had lumps that did not hurt.

Worrying won't change the outcome and neither will ignoring it. Just help your friend advocate for herself and then be there to celebrate when it turns out to be nothing.

Good luck!
Lori

Tammy, the one thing that sticks out to me as uncharacteristic of breast cancer is that you say the lump goes away at times. We've had lots of varying symptoms, but I don't know anyone who thought a cancerous lump came and went. It sounds much more like fibrocystic changes. which I can tell you from experience, can be extremely painful, but have never been linked, as far as I know to developing cancer later.

I think your friend would be wise to see her doctor, just to be on the safe side. But our friend MK always says, "don't worry until you know you have something to worry about."

Good luck to your friend. She is lucky to have your support and caring.

BEV

Bev and Cathi thank you kindly for the answers. I talked to my friend this morning...she can't get into the doctor until Thursday. Is that normal when finding a lump?

What can I do to ease her mind or help her to feel better until then?

What kinds of things can she do to take away some of the pain she is feeling?

Thank you girls all for your comments. It means alot to me!

Tammy