Size of lump

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Sukiann
Sukiann Member Posts: 310
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I am getting really scared.  According to my ultrasound my lump is about 2cm.  When I feel it in my breast it feels really big.  More like 5 cm.  I know that they can't really stage the cancer until surgery but why does my lump feel so big?  Is there tissue around the tumor?? Does anyone know?  I all of a sudden thought of this and now I'm really worried that they are wrong. 

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  • LauraK23
    LauraK23 Member Posts: 159
    edited February 2009

    How big did they say it is on your mammo?  They may not be totally accurate on your studies, but they shouldn't be off my 3 cm.  Did you have an MRI?

    Laura K 

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  • Makratz
    Makratz Member Posts: 12,678
    edited February 2009

    Sukiann,

    Call your doctor and ask tomorrow.  I'm from MA too, we have some of the best doctors here!  Before my surgery, I was calling my doctors and asking them all kinds of quesions.  It made me feel better to know.  My breast surgeon also had a nurse that I could call any time to talk to.  Find out if yours does.  I also asked for axiety meds to help me chill out and sleep.  It helped.  Best of luck to you. Sorry you have to go through this.

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  • ducks
    ducks Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2009

    Did you have a biopsy? I kept feeling my lump constantly between diagnosis and surgery and it felt like it was growing daily! I did have a great nurse to call and she said that the biopsy can cause swelling, making the whole area feel larger. 

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  • Sukiann
    Sukiann Member Posts: 310
    edited February 2009
    Ok, what happened was last night I was at my monthly get together with my best girlfriends.  They all felt my lump (yes, we are weird).  I just wanted them to know what one felt like because this self breast exam thing can be confusing especially if you have lumpy breasts.  So after they all felt me up Wink they were commenting that it was pretty big.  I  told them it was about 2 cm but them I got thinking about it we concluded that that lump was not only 2 cm.  Anyway, I decided to google a breast lump.  I guess that scar tissue can form around a tumor and that is why it can appear to be so large.  I feel better but I am going to ask the oncologist today (my first visit - yikes!).  Thanks for your replies.
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  • SusieSwan
    SusieSwan Member Posts: 111
    edited February 2009

    Sukiann, you are exactly right with the scar tissue, that is what surrounds and attacks the cancer and results the lump that we can feel.  If the u/s showed 2 cm, that is probably pretty accurate. 

    Hugs,

    susan

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  • Sukiann
    Sukiann Member Posts: 310
    edited February 2009

    Thanks for validating what I found on the net Susie.  I have been in such a funk this week.  Lots of things going on here besides this dreaded cancer.  Stomach bug, brother's bday (died 12 years ago), period (yuck) and most bothersome is that a woman in town just passed away this week from you guessed it, breast cancer.  She had it 12 years ago and it came back this summer in the bones.  Her son goes to school with my daughter.  It through me for such a loop.  I am in such a funk.  I'll get over it and move on with what I have to do but it is so darn sad and discouraging.  The whole town is in mourning.  I just have to focus on getting this taken care of. Thanks for listening.

    Susan

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  • gymmom8
    gymmom8 Member Posts: 86
    edited February 2009

    After my biopsies (I had 4) all the tumors seemed much larger and the ones I could not feel, I suddenly could feel and they seemed big.  My largest one however was 1.6 cm.  I also started to feel like everything was worse.  Now that my mastectomy surgery is behind me, I'm not so scared anymore.  I know there will be a lot to go thru with chemo but now I know it'll be the best way to just get rid of this darn cancer once and for all.  Hang in there!

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  • elisabeth
    elisabeth Member Posts: 255
    edited February 2009

    Hi Sukiann.  I thought I would tell you my experience.  Mine was only .6m but it was encased in some type of fluid that would make the area swell and then decrease in size.  So there was something around the tumor that was not scar tissue.  Perhaps your is encased in similar material.

    E 

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