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Breast Cancer
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Posted 10/10/2007 1:28 AM (GMT 0)
Hey gals,

I'm 36, a mom of 2 little girls (ages 3 and 5) and about a month ago found a small lump in my left breast. There's no history in my family that I know of. I had a cyst in that breast about 10 years ago... it was nothing.. went away on it its own - they told me to play the wait and see game back then. On this one, I waited through the month to see if there were any changes but nothing changed, it's not gotten bigger but it's not gone away either. So I made an appt with my doc who is a Physicians Assistant and saw her today. She felt around and said it was small and movable which is typically a good sign. She gave me a referral for an ultrasound, probably more to ease my mind than anything else.

I guess my question is, in your experience what is the likelihood that this is something more serious. I know you are doctors or anything... but just wondering if any of you have gone in with a soft, movable lump and found it was more serious than just a cyst? The PA didn't seem overly concerned. I'm not freaked out yet... but have read survivor stories that seemed very similar to this situation. My gut isn't telling me anything at this point... because I just don't really feel educated. I've researched some on the net, but the info is overwhelming and kind of scary!!
Posted 10/10/2007 5:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi! Hang in there! 80% of lumps are benign. BUT, I am glad your PA is sending you for an ultrasound. It is ALWAYS better to play it safe!! It seems from all the ladies here, there are no set in stone rules for how a lump should feel, of if it hurts, etc. Glad you are getting it checked out. Please let us know how it goes!
HUGS, Gail
Posted 10/11/2007 2:17 AM (GMT 0)
Ditto to what Gail said...odds are in your favor that it is nothing....but keep in mind that no one can tell just by feeling the lump if it is cancer or not, that is why the US is the next logical and appropriate step. I will say that my story was similar to yours too...but 80% of lumps are benign, just that I was in the short side of the statistics there....You have every reason to believe this will be a big nothing! The tests are important to support that theory, so don't stop until you get a definite answer (not just a hunch).

Hang in there and let us know when you get the all clear!
Lori
Posted 10/16/2007 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
Well, the ultrasound results came back today and showed only normal tissues. I've asked my doctor for a mammogram and she agreed to schedule me for a diagnostic. She feels that worst case, we find something and go from there... however, she believes we probably won't find anything and if that's the case we have a baseline mammogram for future reference. SO, now I'm scheduled for the 29th of Oct, only day that would fit into my work schedule (I just started with a new company and have no vacation time built up for too many medical appts!)

The left breast in starting to feel slightly different - fuller and kind of achy but not painful, don't know if that's because I keep poking at it to see if the lump went away or if I just imagined it... or if lump is still there or getting bigger or just good old mother nature (even though the other one feels totally normal)! I also had a very slight discharge from the nipple this morning, kind of yellowish... but my cycle starts next week, so odds are it's nothing.

I just found out from my birth mom (don't know her family too well...long story and my dad's adopted... even longer story) that she's not aware of any breast cancer in our family but there's a lot of ovarian, cervical, uterine and colon cancers on both her mom and dad's sides of our family. She and my aunt both found lumps, both had them removed and both were found to be just lumps. So hopefully that's in my favor... don't know if the other cancers are against me though. I've already had a cervical cancer scare about 10 years ago... had a LEEP done (CYN II found) but they seem to have gotten everything before it matured too far. SO, I'm pretty good about getting to see the docs on schedule for routine things and I do any self checks I can regularly.... that's how I found this lump.

Anyway, hopefully all this worry will be for nothing. I'm trying hard not to focus on this stuff too much of the day... just because I think it could make you crazy but it's still hard not to think about it occasionally and play the "what if" game with myself. I'm sure you all know about that all too well...

Thanks for "listening"!! Jen
Posted 10/16/2007 7:23 AM (GMT 0)
Jen, glad to hear nothing showed on the ultrasound. Good too that they are getting a baseline mammo. It sounds like you are good at keeping an eye on yourself, that is really great! That is how I found my bc.
Anyway, please let us know how the mammo goes, and keep an eye on it and see if it stays and if you have anymore discharge or changes in the breast, go back and have them check it again. Please keep in touch and let us know how things go!
Gail
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