When did you find out you had breast cancer??

Self exam (well, found a lump accidentally, it wasn't really an exam!)

Thank goodness I didn't wait for a mammo, as who knows how bad it would have been by then! I found my lump at age 33, and mammo's aren't usually until 40.

May I ask why you want to know?  I notice that you are new to the board and this is your only post so I'm curious as to why you are curious about this.

The PA found my lump during an annual exam...the mammo didn't catch it nor did I

This is really "back in the day! (1992)" I was originally a nurse and pretty aware of my body. After showering I discovered "a small rock" in my R breast. Saw a female gyn, she said " nothing serious--come back in a month"--She actually put me on hormones which I was smart enough not to take. I ignored her advice and went to a surgeon I trusted--he did a biopsy the next day, and I had a partial mastectomy 2 days later. I was 52 and just separated from my husband. The surgeon was extraordinay--got clean margins; I did radiation and tamoxifen, and give thanks every day. Lynne

I found mine (twice, five years apart) through routine mammograms. It could not be felt by me, a nurse or the surgeon even when the surgeon knew where it was. Breast self exams would never have detected mine either time.

Diagnosed age 47 years. Negative mammogram and ultrasound, but had a hard lump that appeared out of nowhere. Also had no family history. I pushed for a biopsy and that is when it was found. For me, all the testing was useless. Just prior to the lump (a couple of weeks) I underwent a full annual GYN examination and all was normal.

I had no lump I just had what looked to be dermatitis.  I went for a mammogram which came back negative.  The way that I found out that I had cancer was through a biopsy of the area that had the dermatitis. 

The type of bc that I had (Inflammatory BC) does not show up on mammogram the only way to get a dx is through a biopsy. 

I currently see my oncologist every three months and have scans once a year, and blood work every 6 months or sooner if needed.

Good Luck with your project.  Just a suggestion have your friends mom check out this web site everyone here is family and very supportive.  She can come here day or night and someone will be here to answer any question she may have.

Hugs

Laura

bloody nipple discharge.-followed by mammogram and ultrasound that showed Nothing. Biopsy diagnosed it.

I found mine by accident one night while I was lying in bed.  I woke up with an itch close to my left underarm.  I was lying on my side.  I went to scratch the itch and felt a large mass in my left breast.  

within a week, I'd had a mammo, ultrasound and a biopsy.  My ob/gyn told me I had breast cancer before I even had the biopsy done. I couldn't understand how they could tell without the biopsy, so I held onto hope he was wrong.  I got the call that the biopsy showed it was cancer, while I was at work. Not a good place to be when you get 'that call'. :P

spam reported times 2.

Is it a full moon?  Why do these yahoos always seem to come in multiples?

Found a lump in Jan '07, had a mammogram late Jan '07, got mammogram results from PCP 2/20/07, saw surgeon and had needle biopsy March '07, got call with diagnosis March 9. '07

I had the same thing- It was discovered by routine mammo and ultrasound. No doctors could feel it even knowing where it was. I had a stinging sensation on the side and deep in my left breast. I felt and pushed around the area and felt nothing. I thought that maybe my bra was at fault. I went the next week for a mammo and it was found- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.