I'm back... how fast can lumps grow

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Verdana
Verdana Member Posts: 26
edited August 2019 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

A month ago, I had an ultrasound and found fat necrosis. I had an appointment with a breast surgeon who felt it and another smaller lump that 'might be normal breast tissue' on the same breast under the nipple. I had my GP check it two weeks ago and she thought the lump below the nipple didn't feel concerning. I didn't feel it myself.

Last night I felt the lump under my nipple. It's hard-ish but still able to be squished a bit. It's oval shaped and can move a little, although I'm not sure. It's only been two weeks since I had my GP examine me. Could something else cancerous grow in two weeks?

I have a F/U ultrasound at the end of August for the fat necrosis. I'm really worried and wonder if I should get aonther exam this week.

Before anyone asks, I am getting help for anxiety, so could answers just be to my question :)

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  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited August 2019

    It can go fast. I'd be a squeaky wheel if I were you. No matter what may be causing it, if it's growing fast-- hopefully it isn't cancer. Most of these things are not but good to be prudent. Hugs to you.

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited August 2019

    I'm confused. If the Breast Surgeon and your GP felt the lump but you didn't, why do you think it is larger or any different than what they felt?

    And yes, some breast cancers can grow fast, but that's the exception. Most breast cancer is slow growing. Benign growths such as fibroadenomas and cysts are more likely to grow quickly. A lump that you describe as being slightly squishable, oval and moveable sounds a lot more like a cyst than cancer. None of those 3 descriptors are consistent with most breast cancers.

    Personally, since two doctors have felt the lump and were not concerned, I'd wait for the late August appointment.

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  • Verdana
    Verdana Member Posts: 26
    edited August 2019

    I don't think I explained it well- I'm worried it's a different lump to the one my GP/breast surgeon felt or that it's got bigger now that I can feel it.

    I guess I just wanted to know how fast cancerous lumps can grow.

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  • Verdana
    Verdana Member Posts: 26
    edited August 2019

    This is what was written by the breast surgeon, and she doesn't mention what she thinks the smaller 'nodule' is.


    DIAGNOSIS: Left breast bruise with likely fat necrosis on ultrasound for observation I have seen Anna in the clinic today. She has noticed a lump in her left lateral breast around 9 o’clock position and has had a good feel in this area. Following an episode of feeling this area she developed a moderate left breast bruise. She also had a small amount of bruising on the right side as well. She has had an ultrasound which is 5 cm from the nipple at 4 o’clock position, a hyperechoic fat nodule with hyperechoic changes around it suggestive of fat necrosis. That was related to the overlying bruising. I cannot understand why Anna has had such a response to self-palpation to develop a bruise. Either way I think it is prudent that she has this area reexamined. I will see her in two months’ time with a left sided ultrasound prior to that. If ultrasound in unremarkable she is aware she does not need to see me. On examination here she still had some bruising on the left side and a small amount on the right. There were a couple of palpable small nodules, one was at around the 5 o’clock position and it was around 1 cm and then she had a lumpy area at around the 9 o’clock position

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited August 2019

    Verdana,

    I just reviewed your history here to see if I could get more information about what might be going on.

    Over the past 15 months, you have come here with the following problems:

    - A concern about IBC.

    - A breast lump which you thought had become metastatic.

    - A let down feeling which you felt indicated breast cancer.

    - On June 19th, you posted this: "I've got a large bit that seems a little lumpier on the left breast below the nipple on the left side but I had a clear ultrasound on March 3 this year. Could something big have grown in 3 months?"

    With each of these concerns, you have mentioned an upcoming appointment/screening test. You have never returned to provide the results, but in each case have returned within a few months (or more recently, weeks) with a new concern or a different description of the concern that has already been checked out.

    You say that you had an ultrasound 1 month ago (in addition to the clear ultrasound in March). I am assuming that this was the screening follow-up related to the June 19th concern. What you are concerned about now appears to be exactly the same concern as 1 month ago, for which you had screening, saw a Breast Surgeon and saw your GP. You say here that you were not able to feel the lump previously, yet you mentioned feeling the lump in June.

    You have a follow-up ultrasound already scheduled within 2-3 weeks. Go ahead with that and in the meantime, stop feeling and probing your breasts. What you indicate above and from one report you previously posted, it's clear that there is a concern that you are physically bruising yourself because of your frequent breast exams. It is also noted that you have a history of breast cysts and it's important to note that you were breast-feeding just a year ago. I would think that aggressive probing might inflame an already sensitive breast, or a cyst/area around a cyst.

    The biggest concern I see is your health anxiety. What you seem to be looking for are people who will encourage you in your fears. That's not healthy. I've provided this background for others reading because you haven't presented the full history of your screenings and the feedback from your doctors (you've had a lot of screening and appointments over this time), and I think it's important that others understand your history so that they offer up appropriate advice and don't unintentionally feed your fears.

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  • Verdana
    Verdana Member Posts: 26
    edited August 2019

    Hi Beesie.

    Yes, I did acknowledge that the anxiety is a concern in the first post, but is being dealt with, so I asked that we not discuss it in this thread (which you did).

    There are two different lumps, which is the written in the blurb from the breast surgeon and in my post. The area of concern is around the left side of the nipple and it was ultrasounded, and has to have a follow up ultrasound. It was diagnosed as fat necrosis.

    The area I'm talking about is under the nipple in the middle - it seems my GP/breast surgeon had felt it and it's the nodule that is mentioned. If I hadn't really been able to feel it but now can quite clearly, then I'm assuming that means growth. This is the reason for my post. I think you misunderstood. People can have a variety of breast concerns over time.

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