Is pain an indicator that lumps are b9

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Kevwny
Kevwny Member Posts: 8
edited February 2017 in Male Breast Cancer


Hello! I started my journey with this my left breast this year. Before I found my lump (just below my left nipple) I would occasionally have an achy feeling in my left breast that would linger this happened months prior to finding the lump. I started having more frequent episodes with sharp pains that is when I felt and found the lump which was the size of a small marble. I didn't go to my doctor but a few months latter I found another lump on the same breast left side of the nipple that was twice the size of the original one. I finally went to my primary who checked the first lump and was surprised when I told him their was another then he was probing and found another in close proximity. He is sending me to a surgeon to have them removed and biopsies done. The information I have read states malignant lumps have no pain associated with them. Is this always true? I know I don't have "man boobs" (do not know the medical term) which has pain associated with it. I have not read any threads with men having more than one lump. I guess I'll get some answers on 12/13 when I see the surgeon.


If anyone has any insights I'd appreciate them. Thank you!


Kevin

Comments

  • lintrollerderby
    lintrollerderby Member Posts: 483
    edited December 2013


    I'm sorry that I can't type a longer reply, I'm on the way out of the house. I did want to make sure your question was answered, though. No, it is not always true that malignant lumps are painless. It is a myth, many of our tumors had pain associated; however, pain is not usually associated. It's the myth that it is never associated that irks many of us here. Good luck to you.

  • ziggypop
    ziggypop Member Posts: 1,071
    edited December 2013


    Hi, I'm female & hope you don't mind my commenting here. There really is no way of knowing until the cells are looked at under a microscope, some people have pain, some don't. I'm sorry that you are going through the waiting process because it's difficult. Don't think that you have to post only under the male breast cancer thread - there don't seem to be many male posters & you may get a lot more answers and support by posting in 'not diagnosed but worried' threads.

  • DiveCat
    DiveCat Member Posts: 968
    edited December 2013


    Hi Kevin,


    I am glad you are getting biopsies. It is not true that malignancies are always painless. This is a rather dangerous, yet common, assumption and unfortunately one that even some medical providers seem to hold! Many people have experienced pain with their malignancies, but you are not alone in being told or believing that breast cancer is not painful.


    I am hoping however your results are benign, and there are indeed some possible benign causes for painful "marble-like" tumors, such as lipomas (my husband has a handful of these in various places though none in his breast/chest to date, and while they are generally supposed to be painless his are often painful and he has had a couple removed and biopsied before).


    Sorry that is probably not the answer you want to hear, and I am sure you are well aware men can get breast cancer too, even if they don't have gynecomastia (the "man boobs") but at this point all you can do is wait and see what the results are. Again, hoping they are benign!

  • Kevwny
    Kevwny Member Posts: 8
    edited December 2013


    It is so great that you all took time to respond. it has helped me understand my predicament better. It is a week away before I see the surgeon then I will see what his course of action will be. I will post what happens. If my track record holds true the more I obsess over an illness the better the prognosis will be ;-)


    Kevin

  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited December 2013


    No. Real tumors can produce real pain. For me, it started when my overall straps rubbed my breast. I stopped wearing overalls. But, at the oddest times, my breast would have pain. And then heaviness. Not sure how this translates to a male breast, but pain does NOT mean there is no tumor.


    Hope your appointment goes well,


    *susan*

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2013


    Kevin, along with everyone else, we hope you find that you have benign results, and applaud you for having your symptoms checked. The main Breastcancer.org site has more information about Male Breast Cancer that may help answer questions for you.

  • Bren-2007
    Bren-2007 Member Posts: 6,241
    edited December 2013


    Hi Kevin,


    I didn't have pain with my tumor, but I did have a lot of pain with a large cyst. And that is what got me to the doctor. The cancer was found when they did tests to check the cyst.


    I have friends who had pain with their tumors. I think with breast cancer anything is possible. It is so different for each of us.


    I hope your biopsy next week turns out to be benign.


    Wishing you the best,


    Bren

  • 1NippledBandit
    1NippledBandit Member Posts: 78
    edited December 2013


    I was told for years that it was nothing (my lump). It was after I squeezed through a tight spot and has severe pain that I made my doctor order tests to check it out. 3 weeks later I had it removed.


    Best of luck to you.

  • cliff
    cliff Member Posts: 290
    edited February 2017

    pain is what alerted me to the lump. rolled over in bed one night and felt a stinging. I hadnt fount it before due to diabetic neuropathy(numb hands) already to stage 4 and spread. it hurt if you felt it.

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2017

    Cliff - you are having a bang up time digging up old threads that have not had any activity in 4 or 5 years. Many things about treatment have changed over those years. When I see you've posted, I'm going to start going to the end first so I don't end up worrying about people who have likely left the thread long ago.

  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited February 2017

    Heart

    I noticed that too!

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