Cyst

Smitgirl
Smitgirl Member Posts: 1
edited October 2020 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hi! I have read a lot of posts in the last week and wanted to jump on and share my story. I am 38 years old and at a routine GYN appointment my dr. actually felt a palpable lump and wanted to me to get it checked it with a mammogram and u/s. Her last words were "I wouldn't lose sleep over it but I think we should get some imagining" Of course I lost sleep over it, I was panicking. Mostly because I had never felt it until she brought it to my attention so I started second guessing my self breast exams and wondering how long it had even been there. We have the BRCA gene in our family so I have been tested and am negative but unfortunately I think that gave me a false sense of safety and I have been slacking on self breast exams. Not necessarily on doing them but taking my time, lifting my arm, really getting to know the texture of my breast. After looking around on these boards I see how many breast cancers have no genetic link and how naive I was. I also have fairly dense breasts and have always felt a lot of little lumps and bumps and but I didn't realize they should be symmetrical. So if I am feeling something one side, I should feel the same sort of texture in the same place on the other breast. If not, then it needs further surveillance. Getting through that last week waiting for my tests was hard, I have a lot of anxiety with stuff like this, as a lot of people do I think, but reading the posts on these boards did help, so thank you to all the people that share their stories on here. I had my mammogram and ultrasound today and after the radiologist read it the tech said there was no need for further investigation that it looked like a small cyst. I asked what the follow up should be and she said mammograms starting at 40. My question is, if the cyst does not go away does it need to be looked again or if it isn't bothering me then no?

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited October 2020

    "if the cyst does not go away does it need to be looked again or if it isn't bothering me then no?"

    If it's a simple cyst (fully fluid filled, round or oval with smooth walls) which I assume it is because you haven't been asked to come back for a 6 month follow-up, then it doesn't need to be rechecked. Cysts are very common and simple cysts - which usually can be clearly identified on an ultrasound - are harmless and don't require follow-up.

    "I also have fairly dense breasts and have always felt a lot of little lumps and bumps and but I didn't realize they should be symmetrical. So if I am feeling something one side, I should feel the same sort of texture in the same place on the other breast. If not, then it needs further surveillance."

    No. You are misinterpreting what you've been reading. First, at your age, approx. 80% of women have dense breasts. That's normal. But breast density, as seen on mammogram imaging, is different from having fibrocystic breasts, which is what you feel when you are feeling the lumps and bumps. You can't feel breast density, but you can certainly feel fibrocystic breasts. Second, asymmetry on mammogram imaging is something that Radiologists look for, and it does need to be investigated. But asymmetry that shows up on breast imaging is not the same as how your breasts feel to you. You are feeling fibrocystic lumpiness. More than 1/2 of all women have fibrocystic breasts, and while both breasts are usually affected, it's not uncommon for one breast to be more affected than the other, to feel lumpier or have lumps and thick-feeling breast tissue in more or different areas. That's perfectly normal.

    Fibrocystic Breast Changes https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/benign/fibro...


    "Fibrocystic breast changes happen when women develop fluid-filled cysts along with areas of fibrosis in one or both breasts."



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