nodule below clavicle?

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FloridianAtHeart
FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22

I have a nodule about 2 1/2 inches below my clavicle on my left side. I would describe it as being even with my neck slope, straight down. I don't know if this would even be a possible place for breast cancer but I did have a mammo and ultrasound clear in August. They did not do anthing to this area though so that is why I am not sure if it would be breast or not. I have googled and it doesn't appear there are any lymph nodes in this area that would be palpable. It is about 2 cm in size. Any thoughts? Sorry for the disorganized post - I am at work and worried so wanted to get some input from everyone here...

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  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited September 2008

    Your breast tissue does go up quite a ways across your chest.

    Here's a picture.  Does this fit?  

    http://www.breastcancer.org/pictures/breast_anatomy/axillary_lymph_nodes.jsp

    Also, some people can have things in different places-we all are

    individual.  I would get it checked out.  I had a friend who had a swollen lymph node, and it ended up they think it was from a fungal infection from gardening with her roses.  She's perfectly fine now.  

    People can have swollen lymph glands for MANY MANY kinds of reasons.  Its most likely nothing, but I'd get it checked out.

  • FloridianAtHeart
    FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22
    edited September 2008

    possibly the apical, although that seems high. I can't find anything that clearly says if these are palpable either. Would I be able to feel it? It is a noticeable bump, nothing on the skin, below it so I know it isn't a sore of any sort.

  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited September 2008

    You probably won't be able to feel any *normal* lymph nodes (at least I never have.)  You may have them in a different spot than the 'average' person.  Its quite common to have some things in a little different place than the 'average' person.  The vast majority of us are not average!

     It is probably nothing, but I would check with your doc. 

  • FloridianAtHeart
    FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22
    edited September 2008

    Ok so I was looking through the breast book last night and I believe that this bump is still in an area considered the breast - where it comes to a point right below the clavicle, in the lobe area. Paranoid I swear. Thankfully I have a Dr appt next week with an otolaryngologist for a long term enlarged lymph node below my ear (7 years) and an appointment with my ob/gyn for my annual as well - surely between the two, they can help me figure out if this is something to be concerned about.

  • Kleenex
    Kleenex Member Posts: 764
    edited September 2008

    Hi -

    I just answered a private message you sent, but here's a bit more. I don't want to freak you out, but I would have said the same things you said in your messages above if I'd been on here in May. I even said to my gynecologist "Is this even breast tissue?" I almost didn't mention it to him, because of where it was. It wasn't a "hard" lump - it felt more like a 1 - 2 cm rubbery sort of lump, very slightly movable (but there's not much space in there between the skin and muscle). Nothing on the skin at all - it was very definitely UNDER the skin and fat.

    I was pretty convinced mine was a cyst of some kind, since it did seem to change shape and a book I saw showed something that looked like what I was feeling. But it never went away.

    You are only 36, and 70 - 80% of breast lumps are nothingness, especially if you have lumpy breasts in general. But I must say, from my personal experience, women have intuition for a reason. It's outside the field they can mammogram. If you can't feel it when you're lying down (mine was like this), then your doctor probably hasn't noticed it on breast exams done in the office, either. Mention it to BOTH doctors. Mine was visible with the sonogram transducer when I showed them where to put it. The surgeon was not convinced that it was anything, but was convinced that I needed a biopsy to see if it was either something annoying I might want to have out OR if it was something ominous.

    Please keep me posted! I'm glad you have those appointments coming up! Track your little nodule, now that you've felt it, and see if it acts like a come-and-go lump or like something that's really hanging out there...

    Coleen 

  • FloridianAtHeart
    FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22
    edited September 2008

    Just a little more info - the lump is right at 2 inches down from my collar bone at the 11:00 position and I would guess 1-1.5 cm from what I can feel.They didn't ultrasound the area, my NP was specific about the left breast lump being at 6:00 and right he listed as bi-lateral so they really went up and down on the right (nowhere near as high as this is on the left though) but just a few snaps of the 6:00 on the left. Originally, I was having breast pain in both breasts and went to NP. He showed me again how to do a BSE and felt those two lumps and pointed them out to me - which I could never find on my own between that visit and the mammo/ultrasound. I now wonder if there was really a lump or he was just doing this to get me a mammo/ultrasound (I am under 40, so no go with insurance)? What I feel now is very different. The original thing was not defined at all compared to this. It was more of a jiggly mass than a lump. What I am feeling now reminds me of the lymph node below my ear, more like a small grape, however the one below my ear has become more like a marble, harder than I remember. But they are both very defined - not an indistinguishable blob. The breast pain I was having has for the most part subsided after about 6 weeks. So do you think the otolaryngologist is going to think me nuts for mentioning this to him? I know my gyne won't think it weird and hope if the otolaryngologist hasn't pointed me in the right direction, my gyne will. The otolaryngologist specializes in head and neck tumors so surely he will be somewhat familiar with this sort of thing - different part of body, but still?

  • FloridianAtHeart
    FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22
    edited September 2008

    I saw the otolaryngologist this morning. 2 things I learned from the resident - it is definitely in the breast and it is not an area where a lymph node would be. Other than that, they said follow up with my ob/gyn - who I called and they said they will look at my Wednesday appointment.

  • FloridianAtHeart
    FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22
    edited September 2008

    I spoke to my ob/gyn nurse and she doesn't seem to know what to think. She doesn't believe breast tissue goes up that far and she called her ultrasound friend in the building and she told her that sometimes they will ultrasound and sometimes they won't. Coleen, I want to take your PM's in with me and say SEE?? It is breast tissue this high! I hope my Dr takes this seriously. I am completely freaked out today over it. I guess I was hoping they might schedule the ultrasound before my appointment but no luck. I want to know what it is. I can honestly say I didn't believe that I would 'know' the difference in a lump and a non lump but I do - and this is not some other sort of blob tissue. Maybe it is completely benign but just prove it to me PLEASE!!

  • FloridianAtHeart
    FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22
    edited September 2008

    I saw my gyn today and he doesn't seem concerned and says he doesn't feel anything but maybe it is part of the pectoral muscle? I don't know about that but I can sure feel it! I don't have to search, I can feel it just by running my hand over the area lightly. He did agree to refer me to a Breast Center and I have an appointment 2 weeks from today. I pray it isn't anything but I do just want to know for sure!!!

  • FloridianAtHeart
    FloridianAtHeart Member Posts: 22
    edited September 2008

    Thankfully the breast center called yesterday and they have also scheduled me for an ultrasound of the area right before my appointment. I will be so glad if they can tell me this really is nothing!

  • Brey489
    Brey489 Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2018

    Hi!. You never posted anything about your results and I was interested to hear how things turned out for you withe the lump below your clavicle? I have a similar problem and i was interested in your story.

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