Confused. What does moveable lump mean?

Lucylu82
Lucylu82 Member Posts: 4
edited October 2019 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

I am trying not to reach for Dr Google. I felt a small 1cm hard lump under my left breast about a week before my period! Putting it down to hormones, I casually asked my doctor to just double check it when I was visiting for another reason, this was the first day of my period. She said she could feel a lump and I now have an appointment at the breast clinic in two weeks time (gotta love the NHS)! Understandably I am worried, nervous and scared and forgot to ask the doctor any questio. The one thing I had wished I had asked was whether or not the lump was moveable . It doesn’t feel attached to the chest wall, but does feel attached to the breast tissue. It moves from left to right and round like rolling a ball bearing if I press on it. Can someone confirm what a moveable lump means, am I meant to be able to get my fingers underneath and move it around my whole breast . Any help would be greatly appreciated x

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited October 2019

    If it moves from side to side it is moveable. No, you aren’t supposed to be able to “pinch” under it.

    Try. notto worry too much. Most breast lumps are benign.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited October 2019

    Lucylu82

    IDC sends out little extensions of tumor into the surrounding tissues plus there is a reaction of the surrounding tissues to the tumor and these changes stiffen the surrounding tissues and anchor the mass in its position so it feels "fixed". Benign lumps mind their own business. They do not invade the surrounding tissue, they push the surrounding tissue as they grow and develop no attachments to it. If it can be shifted back and forth in its position it is called "mobile".

    For years this was one of the basic tenets of physical diagnosis of the breast however the introduction of US into breast imaging has shown that there are exceptions to these "rules".

    That being said, as noted in the post above this one, most lumps are benign at biopsy and mobility is nevertheless still a reasonably good sign. Let us know what the US shows.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Lucylu82
    Lucylu82 Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2019

    thanks so much for your reply. As I said it moves if I put pressure on it but only from left to right of my finger not actually moving anywhere in my breast it doesn’t feel rooted at the sides but as if it is attached on top of the breast tissue (if that makes sense)? (I think that’s what you mean by pushing the surrounding tissue as they grow)! Your explanation makes much more sense, as other information is written to suggest the some lumps agents attached to anything and that they can move a distance in the breast. As I said mine feels like a little ball baring (but maybe not rock solid hard) that I can roll around in its place but it doesn’t move very far! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate it, I’m trying not to let anxiety get the Better of me, but us women are programmed to think the worst when it comes to breast lumps

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Lucylu82
    Lucylu82 Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2019

    Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Greatly appreciated x

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Peregrinelady
    Peregrinelady Member Posts: 1,019
    edited October 2019
    My lump was movable, but still turned out to be cancer. Don’t let anything you read on the internet stop you from getting a definitive answer.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • trinigirl50
    trinigirl50 Member Posts: 343
    edited October 2019

    I had a small moveable lump about size of a pea. Dr said it was moveable so probably benign. 2 years later after my breast swelled up, it ended up being Invasive Lobular Cancer (ILC forms as threads rather than solid tumour). So while your lump is likely benign, it is very good that it is being checked out properly.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Lucylu82
    Lucylu82 Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2019

    I’m so sorry to hear that! Did the doctor not send you for test when you found the initial lump?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited October 2019

    LucyLu - try to stay away from 'Dr.' Google. You've gotten some good advice here and we all know waiting is the hardest part. But you'll drive yourself nuts scouring the internet and much of what you read you read will be out of date or just flat inaccurate. Binge watch some TV instead. Let us know after your tests.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • trinigirl50
    trinigirl50 Member Posts: 343
    edited October 2019

    lucylu82

    Yes I did go for a mammogram and an Ultrasound scan but they did not show cancer. I had dense breasts and also ILC which often doesn't show up on scans etc. So the lump was dismissed as benign and unfortunately wasnt diagnosed until my breast shape changed. Even then I got clear scans. Only the biopsy was diagnostic.

    But you know what, I am in a very small percentage of BC women. Minus two is right. Binge watch Fleabag instead of googling. Most lumps are indeed benign.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blueteal
    blueteal Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2019

    hello did your lump hurt? Or perhaps your arm? a suspicious lump was found on my left breast. The area hurts and it stretches out to my underarm and my breast are in pain most of the day. Should I be worried?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • thisiknow
    thisiknow Member Posts: 134
    edited October 2019

    Reject the temptation to self-diagnose. My little lump felt like a greasy marble and yes it easily moved when I pushed it back and forth. Invasive ductal carcinoma... then with the diagnostic Mammo found DCIS in the same breast and two small IDC tumors in the other breast. See my profile below. Outlook is very good so don't be scared, just get your lump checked out and you'll likely feel much better afterwards.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • forsoictest
    forsoictest Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2019

    testing

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kerri-on-cloud9
    Kerri-on-cloud9 Member Posts: 19
    edited October 2019

    So glad I found this post as I just found a lump two days ago and am trying to tell if it’s “movable” or not. I’ve pressed on it so much over the last few days I can’t tell one way or another. It’s very smooth and round, firm but not hard. I can’t tell if it’s moving when I push on it or if it’s just the skin and tissue on top of it that’s moving. This thing was not there one day, just appeared seemingly overnight. Anxiously awaiting my appointment until then I’m just going to keep messing with it and try not to go crazy with worry. Easier said than done

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories