Enlarged areola mean anything?

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Anniemom
Anniemom Member Posts: 1
edited October 2015 in Benign Breast Conditions

Hi! I haven't seen anything exactly like my situation in my research, so I thought I'd throw it out there. I had a mammogram about 10 days ago, and the office called a few days ago and said I need to come in for an ultrasound (scheduled for two weeks from now) because there have been "changes" in my right breast since my last one, about three years ago. The lady said the radiologist thought it was a cyst. So one question - do doctors generally use that as a euphemism to not alarm people regardless of what they think it is? I am 47 and pre-menopausal, plus my mom had breast cysts, so I know that is very likely all it is. But..... the reason I went in for the mammogram is that a few months ago I developed a slightly flaky rough spot on that same breast on the areola, above what I now know is a Montgomery tubercle, that always comes back even if I put lotion on. It doesn't itch, and I don't have any nipple changes or breast pain, but the areola has kind of spread upward some and occasionally seems slightly darker than the rest of the areola. And I've tried to see if I could feel what the radiologist might have seen, but I think I have dense breasts and I can't feel anything. Anybody had anything like this or have any comments?

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited October 2015

    Hi Anniemom, welcome to Breastcancer.org. We're so sorry for the worry you're experiencing, but we are glad that you reached out. Others should be along soon to offer some advice and personal experiences to you. In the meantime you might like to check out our page on What Mammograms Show: Calcifications, Cysts, Fibroadenomas for more information on the different benign masses that can come from testing. Hope this helps!

    The Mods


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  • april485
    april485 Member Posts: 3,257
    edited October 2015

    Anniemom, please try not to worry. Most call backs are for benign things in our breasts. I have "busy" breasts and so I was totally surprised when I was diagnosed. I had a gut feeling this time, but still...when you always had fibrocystic breasts, it is a shock even if you had a feeling. But the bottom line is that 80-90% of the time it is nothing. It is good that they are on top of it just in case. Best to you for a good outcome. Keep us posted.

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited October 2015

    You know, it's funny, april. I had a similar experience. I have very dense beasts, er, breasts, and I have probably had more than 30 call-backs since I started having mammograms 20 years ago. Even had a couple of biopsies that turned out to be nothing. But for some reason back in June I had this random thought--"I wonder if I have breast cancer" ,even before I had my routine mammogram. And sure enough, after a call-back and yet another biopsy, here I am.

    In my experience, doctors do not use euphemisms to get you to do their bidding. If they call you back, it's because they want to figure something out. All you can do is show up and let them do their thing.

    I am a believer in NOT grieving things until they are upon me. It's a time & energy waster. If you come up positive for breast cancer, well, there will be plenty of time to be upset. No need borrowing sorrow.

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