Lump and a couple swollen lymph nodes

AvaG

I'm a 43 (otherwise healthy) woman who had a mammogram and sonogram on Friday for a lump (about the size of a grape) that I found in the bottom of my left breast. The doctor said that she is "concerned" because their are blood vessels attached to one side and several of my lymph nodes are swollen. I said, "I am assuming that there is no way this is benign" and she didnt quite disabuse me of that notion. I have a biopsy on Monday and they are expediting the process so hopefully I will have results on Wednesday.

I am trying to be grateful for my supportive family, friends, and boyfriend but can barely eat or sleep. I've been researching like crazy and decided that I would be ok with lumpectomy and radiation but am dreading chemo for all the obvious reasons. I realize how dangerous it is to WebMD my treatment plan with zero information from the biopsy, but my mind is reeling.

Monarchandthemilkweed

You do not know yet if it is cancer. If it is cancer they will determine if the tumor is hormone positive or negative. Hormone positive cancers sometimes do not respond to the chemo. It’s hard to not jump to the worst case scenario but I urge you to try and slow down and wait for the biopsy results. I know it’s hard. Waiting for me was the hardest part of all of this. Let us know your results when you get them.

Salamandra

If breast cancer could be accurately diagnosed without a biopsy, they wouldn't need to do biopsies. Biopsy is standard of care because even the world's best most experienced doctor cannot reliably and accurately diagnose cancer without it, let alone WebMD.

That said, cancer or not cancer is only the beginning for those of us on this board. Once the dice rolls onto breast cancer for us, there are still so many branching routes and different paths, and there is no way to know which one is yours except for making it through the terrible waiting game of scans, tests, etc, and actually experiencing how the treatment goes for you first hand.

That said, most breast cancer is early stage. Many breast cancers don't need chemo. Many women find chemo (much) more tolerable than they expected. All we can do is make the best decision possible with the best information available to you at the time. Right now, you definitely don't have the information to make a best decision about possible treatment choices for something that might not even be cancer and if it is could be a wide range of profiles.

The days are so long when you are waiting. Ask your doctor for something to help with the anxiety if you want, plunge into your favorite distracting video game or tv show, cardio yourself exhausted, whatever works for you to get through. Hang in there.

AvaG

thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful response. This has helped me more than you know.

LivinLife

Just want to welcome you AvaG! The waiting for info is soooo difficult and painful! Hang in there! Truly if it is breast cancer they have come a long ways in treatment.... you will see even with the most serious forms of BC many on this site have lived years due to advancements.... Do what you can to stay grounded until you have some concrete info....