Confused on where to go from here!

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Confused3011
Confused3011 Member Posts: 2
edited November 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

A little background, I am a 36 year old and I work in the pathology department in which I have for 13 years and deal with different types of cancer especially breast cancer at my particular location so recently when my Gynecologist found a 1 cm lump in my right breast I thought the worst. She sent me for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. They did the mammogram in which the result said Incomplete, need additional imaging. So they sent me to have the ultrasound done where the lady found the lump and had the radiologist come in. The radiologist just kept saying the lump was just my rib (In which I was confused because when you feel it when you are siting up it is obviously not your rib). I was very thrown off on her telling me that the lump was just my rib and that made me question my results. The report I got from the ultrasound only said negative, no evidence of malignancy continue routine screening in one year. I am confused on wether I should get a second opinion or wait the year to see if it grows or any other symptoms arise. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

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  • oxygen18
    oxygen18 Member Posts: 164
    edited November 2018

    Confused, did you get a 3D mammogram? did both the gyn and the radiologist palpate the lump, or just the gyn?

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  • Confused3011
    Confused3011 Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2018

    The gynecologist found it first, and had me feel it so that I knew the size of it to know if it changed. I had a normal mammogram on both the left and right. Then the lady doing the ultrasound and the radiologist felt it and did the ultrasound but on in the place of the lump not the other breast tissue or the other side. After I was sent home and never heard from the gynecologist and got my results through my my chart. I had my husband feel and find the lump so I had another person know the size and location so I was not feeling crazy even though multiple people have felt it.

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  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited November 2018

    You may want to request a breast MRI. ILC is sometimes hard to detect on mammo. Personally, I don't think I could wait and worry for a year...Best wishes!

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  • oxygen18
    oxygen18 Member Posts: 164
    edited November 2018

    If it were me, at the very least I would ask the gynecologist's opinion on the idea of just waiting a year. Also I'd be curious to know how normal it is for a rib to have a 1 cm lump. I know you are young, but still, I'd want to make sure it's not a case of an inexperienced rad. ideally I'd have the images reviewed by a breast radiology specialist. Best wishes.

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited November 2018

    Yes I think you should get a second opinion and make sure they are examining the lump and demonstrate why you think it's not your rib.

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  • actualhumanpotato
    actualhumanpotato Member Posts: 17
    edited November 2018

    I'm a little younger than you, but that's essentially where I was a year ago. I noticed a lump on my chest (above my left breast, below my left collarbone), went to the doctor's, got sent for both and ultrasound and an x-ray. The radiologist and the tech who handled the ultrasound both felt the lump, confirmed that it was there, but could NOT find anything on the ultrasound. My GP said "That's just how your tissue is", even though I hadn't noticed that lump in the prior 27 years of my life (and I'm relatively paranoid and aware of all the various changes that occur to my body). She suggested I watch it.

    A year later, I'm still just as concerned as I was on Day One, even with a negative ultrasound report.

    If I were you, I'd ask for a second opinion, if for no other reason than so you can have peace of mind. A breast MRI MIGHT be covered by your insurance since the Mammogram had shown a need for additional imaging, but you'd have to check into that on your own.

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  • Parrynd1
    Parrynd1 Member Posts: 408
    edited November 2018

    Do you want to chance it? I wouldn’t wait a year to see if it grows either. Not all BC, if that’s what it is, is slow growing. I went from stage 0 to 3 in 3months. And until you know it’s not something serious I’d keep pushing to find out. Your doctors should want to find out what it is as bad as you do. I would get a second opinion. There are many many different things it could be as well so try not to throw your dice in the cancer corner yet...it’s easy to let your brain go there. Best of luck

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  • JoTheGreek
    JoTheGreek Member Posts: 54
    edited November 2018

    My lump was so near to the chest wall (on the lower part of my right breast @ 7 o'clock, benign by the way despite its spiculated shape) and showed only in the side shot of the mammo and only if the technician taking the shots was meticulous enough to place my breast and armpit all the way deeper in the screening tray.  Actually the radiologist who evaluated the mammo and ultrasound said that "it was outside the breast" whatever that may mean...  In the ultrasound and MRI though it was very prominent.  A couple of times I have felt the lump (1 cm) myself only when lying down (and I myself dismissed the idea of it being a breast lump and consider it a normal part of my rib cage) but to all the doctors who tried to feel it, it was impalpable...  Not sure if the above makes any sense or is somehow helpful and relevant to your situation.

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited November 2018

    Confused3011

    It is not uncommon to be able to feel a prominent chostochondral junction through the breast making it feel like a breast mass on self breast exam. I would run into this a few times a year in practice. On imaging you would not expect to see it on a mammogram so if one presents with a lump and its not seen on the mammo it would be classified as incomplete pending an ultrasound. On clinical breast exam it should be fixed (non-mobile) and continuous with the remainder of the rib. On ultrasound the junction has a characteristic appearance.

    Discuss your concerns with your Gyn. Let them know you are not comfortable waiting a year. Perhaps a follow up in 3 or 6 months, or some additional imaging like CT or MRI to make sure its not a tumor arising in the rib which can present the same way.

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