Irregular solid mass... Is it always cancer?

lovetorun,

My best advice to you is to run...do things you love to do to take your mind off this. Once you're dx'd with cancer, your life is never the same. Let'S just hope your biopsy is b9.

When i joined these boards, there was a thread about things women noticed a couple months prior to being dx'd. As i recall, three of the main things were "different" smelling sweat, an intense craving for sugar by women who dont usually even eat sugary goods, and i think the third was abnormal night sweats. If you have those three symptoms (i did), then maybe you have cancer. If i could find the thread, i would post a link.

Good luck with your biopsy. Until you get your results, try to forget about this for now. (((Hugs)))

I'm sorry you're going through this. The waiting is so difficult and regardless of what anyone tells you, it's hard not to worry. I agree with the person who said, go running....that will surely help alleviate some of the stress you're under. Hang in there until Monday. I wish the best outcome for you

We all know too well about the fear factor and there is nothing any of us can really say that will alleviate your anxiety except best guesses. I am the poster child for worrying anyway so I can sure relate.

I didn't find my lump - the mammogram did - big once I was told I just knew. Keep in mind if it is BC and we all hope and pray it's not, it's not the death sentence like it used to be.

Somehow all of us get through the process with lots of support including this website. It was my lifeline from the onset and even now given I am almost 4 years out I still chat with my BC sisters.

You will be okay. Let us know and keep the faith.

Diane

I agree with lovepugs. How do you know what questions to ask if you aren't informed before your appointment? Only a Birads 5 is highly suggestive of cancer (about a 5% chance of benign). All the rest are most likely benign. My guess from your description is that yours was a 4, which is most likely benign

Regardless of the Birads, keep this in mind: if the radiologist was sure it was cancer, he wouldn't need to do a biopsy he would just tell you it is cancer. Since the doctor doesn't know if it is cancer, there is no way for you to know. It is so hard to avoid worry, but you really have to. Doctors have to be very careful not to miss a cancer, so this can mean "unnecessary" (although not to me) biopsies, etc. They just have to make sure. He may have just meant "aggressive" in making sure it is not cancer. But again, he doesn't know, so he is doing the biopsy. And yes, look at the Birads but realize it is not a diagnosis of cancer. (and as far as the symptoms mentioned above of sweat and whatever else.... ummm.. not my experience, so don't go trying to figure out if you smell something funny to figure out if you have cancer).

Hi LovetoRun,

Hugs for you! I wanted to jump in to tell you that I just got my results today for a lump that sounds very similar to yours...and they, thank goodness, were B9. I found the lump a month ago - it was hard, irregularly shaped, not particularly painful. Everything I read online told me it was cancer. I went to my OBGYN, and she referred me to a radiologist. I got a mammo, ultrasound, and then ultimately a biopsy, because the mass was indeterminate on all the images. Here's the thing: every doctor and technician I spoke to along the way told me that even hard, irregular lumps aren't necessarily cancer. But because they couldn't tell what it was without a biopsy, I kept getting more tests.

I sincerely hope that you receive good news. For anyone out there who's wondering if your lump is cancer, please, go to your doctor and get it checked out. Be your own advocate!!!! BUT, also know that there's a good chance that it's NOT cancer, even if the Internet tells you so.

Hello,

I just joined this group today this is my first post. I had my regular mammogram done (3D) last week.

I got notified today that there is a 1.5 cm mass in my right breast with ill-defined margins that I need to get a spot compression mammogram and possibly an ultrasound. I don’t go until next Thursday so it’s just really hard not having any answers .

I am really worried, I think the main reason I’m worried is because of the ill-defined margins. I always thought ill-defined margins were malignant most of the time. I just wondered if anybody had any advice about the margins that were not defined.

Thanks

I got called back from a normal, routine mammogram. Had another mammogram and ultrasound. Ultrasound showed I had two “irregular hypoechoic masses”. They told me it was not a cyst since it was not fluid filled. They ordered a biopsy of two masses. 8 samples were taken. The anguish was debilitating. It turned out that both were benign.

Waiting is so hard. I’m sorry you are going through this