Tests today

KAM42

Hi there!

I'm having a diagnostic u/s and mammo this afternoon after finding a sizeable, painless and somewhat mobile lump last week in my left breast. It's in the area above and to the left of the areola. My doctor, who I saw yesterday, found the lump easily and thinks that it's likely something OK give the size and mobility. I do know that isn't always the case but I also know that it is far more likely to be nothing than something! While I was still in her office, she tried to get me in with radiology yesterday but couldn't but they, thankfully, fit me in today. I don't know if it's comforting or worrisome how quickly they all moved on that!

Anyway, I've never found a lump before although I have always had very dense breasts. I typically fight for an u/s in addition to my mammos but didn't feel like fighting for it this past October. This lump isn't like the normal bumpiness and ridges that I normally can feel and obviously my doctor agreed and found it right away.

My question is will I know anything today? Do people sometimes get any info, good or bad, at these screenings?

Beesie

Given that it's a diagnostic ultrasound and mammo, yes, the odds are that you will be told today if you have to return for a biopsy, or if that's not necessary. If a biopsy is not required, you may be told that you need to come back for a 6 month follow-up. That's standard practice when the imaging appears benign - the follow-up is to check for stability (i.e. no changes), which further confirms that the mass is benign.

That said, each place is different, so maybe the results will go to your doctor.

Keep in mind that even if you do need a biopsy, 80% of biopsies turn out to be benign, and biopsies are ordered any time the Radiologist assesses that there is even just a 2% or greater chance that a mass could be cancer. From your description, this sounds like either a cyst or a fibroadenoma. How old are you? When I hit my peri-menopause years, I started to develop lots of cysts, and they continued to develop on a regular basis all the way through my 50s. They felt exactly as you describe your lump, and they were harmless. My doctor would aspirate the larger ones but leave the smaller ones to eventually dissipate on their own.

Good luck today!

KAM42

Thanks! I'm 48 years old...in my head, I never think that I'm old enough for these worries and then I remember my age!

I really do know that it's likely to be nothing. Just concerning when you feel something that you have never felt before. The good thing is that my mom, sisters and I are very proactive about our mammograms...my maternal grandmother died of BC in her early 40s so none of us have ever messed around with taking chances.

Beesie

"I never think that I'm old enough for these worries"

I had my first breast biopsy when I was 16, and many more in my 20s, 30s and 40s. Any one of any age can develop breast masses. Most are benign and many (such as simple cysts and fibroadenoma in young women) don't even require a biopsy, but it's always important to get any breast mass or change checked out, whatever one's age.

Hope today goes well for you.

KAM42

So true. I have been truly fortunate to not worry about this until recent years.

Thankfully, all went well today. A very large cyst has just taken up home in my left breast, about 3 cm and I am very small-chested so now it’s very apparent Apparently they have been watching it for a while but it did grow since my last mammograms over past couple of years. I had no idea anyone was watching anything...my doctor never said anything. It doesn’t hurt so we will just leave it be!

Thanks!

Beesie

Great news! If the large size of the cyst bothers you, get it aspirated. The doctor can do it in the office - it's a simple needle and syringe, no numbing necessary, just a pin prick and all done in a few seconds. I can't even remember how many I've had done. When I first started to develop cysts, they would be huge, but as I got older, I started to get tiny cysts. The big cysts were palpable but never painful, whereas the tiny cysts weren't palpable but sometimes were painful. Strange.