Lump found in OTHER breast....

 Well, I am now a year out of treatment for IDC/SND in right breast/DX 5/06.  2 surgeries-first was lumpectomy, not all cancer removed close to chest wall (found on yearly mammogram, no palpable lump), second surgery month later a partial mastectomy, all cancer removed, sentinel node disease, estrogen+, IDC, Stage2.

Chemo (adriamycin,cytoxin,taxol,gemzar) Aug-Dec.'06; radiation Jan-Feb.'07...presently on tamoxifen daily.  Chemo-induced menopause...was pre-menopausal until day of Taxol in 10/06.  Complete menopause since that day.  History:  NO cancer in family at all.  Lumpectomy in 2004 on LEFT breast, benign lump removed.

NOW lump felt by me, went to gyn for annual exam 2 weeks ago, didn't tell her, wanted to see if she felt it, she did...went off for a bilateral breast MRI w/contrast dye; surgeon consult...she felt lump as well.  MRI shows NOTHING suspicious...lump still there...mammogram/ultrasound/biopsy March 24th.  Return to oncologist and surgeon week after.  NO periods, so therefore no more 'lumpy/fibrocystic' breast tissue since Oct. '06.  Just venting I guess...as of COURSE, no one around me has ANY clue that I may be 'worrying' about this...we thought adding GEMZAR to the chemo protocol (as a clinical trial, tho Gemzar is used NOW for re-occurrences, it's NOT a new drug, which is why I chose to participate).  So, not really asking for advice...my significant other knows, and is very supportive, he works 365 days a year, only was able to take my 2 surgery days off to be with me, as I couldn't drive, other than that, I drove myself to ALL chemo/radiation treatments.

Will do so again, as family lives too far, and I do NOT burden my family with knowing anything yet...and then when I DO tell them, it's AFTER a plan has been made, same as last time, and I did NOT have any of my adult kids nor my Mom come and stay with me, to what? babysit?!!  Drive me?  Want them to live their lives...no need to worry about me, I'm tough, I am also disabled with daily migraines/nausea...so driving to ER's in the past was just a given with a non-supportive ex-husband of 20+ years...driving while vomiting DWV...lol!   I stay positive....just hate the 'waiting' game.

Anyway--if there are others out there who had the same experience, I'd love to hear what happened to you...if I DO have cancer in that breast, I'm pretty sure I'd opt for full mastectomy this time...just remove both breasts, as I was not supposed to get IDC in the first place.  We'll see what tests show, I guess!  GOTTA stay positive that it's '''''''just a lump''''''' !   ALL my best to you all....this IS a battle, one that I hope we're all committed to surviving.   THANX for listening to this long rant/vent!   ~juli

Hi Ro...(cute avatar picture!)...so you've JUST been diagnosed, I'm so sorry. Seeing as you didn't have any lymph node involvement, but are estrogen positive, are you undergoing chemotherapy?  I 'presume' you've already had surgery?  Lumpectomy?  Partial Mastectomy as I had?  Not having  your lymphs involved, will you need radiation...as I did with the path the surgeon took to the cancer/tumor (back of chest wall) and also the underarm where the sentinel node was diseased, the others removed were not...so radiation was warranted for that area as well.  Let me know your story, if you wish...my email address is:  juli0212@yahoo.com (that's zero two one two).  Hope you are doing well...gosh, YOU are just starting and you're listening to ME???   YOU are amazing, thank you kindly!!!  ALL my best to you and your treatments.    juli

I have a needle biopsy scheduled for after the mammogram/ultrasound the 24th.  All done that same day.  The MRI is the one that's showing NON-suspicious, but since having cancer spring up out of nowhere in the right breast, having had a lumpectomy (benign) in the LEFT breast; having had a tumor on the parathyroid in 2002 (benign)...so yes, thank you for your story...one HAS to be persistent, and my docs all KNOW how I am, so that will be done...thank you!!!  Glad you were benign all around.  Since I'm just out of treatment a year from IDC in right breast/partial mastectomy/sentinel node disease/estrogen+ and in menopause now...there's NO reason to have lumpy breasts...my original cancerous tumor (1.8cm) was NOT palpable, found on routine mammogram, against chest wall.  Gotta be careful about lungs now.

SO, we shall see....thanx for your input!   ~juli

I had a cyclical lump that was the result of having the left breast lumpectomy-benign.  I don't have a history of 'lumpy' breasts, no cancer in family...so ANY lump that appears now, has to be checked.

No weight gain or loss between the past couple years since dx of cancer.  Having a parathyroid issue, having had a parathyroidectomy in 2002 (removal of a parathyroid gland-we all have 4, with a LARGE tumor-benign on it)...doc called today, and parathyroid level is 4x higher than it should be...she is going to have a consult with her colleagues about THAT particular issue (seeing as I've had hyper-para-thyroidism before that resulted in HIGH calcium pulled from bones into the blood)...and having had cancer, parathyroid cancer is VERYVERY rare...so we're not sure if we're looking for that..she'll present my case next week,and then get back to me  (probably a nuclear dye to look for a parathyroid tumor, tho we did that before my parathyroidectomy in 2002--showed NO tumor, but was found during surgery)...so a bunch of issues going on....that only make one conclude that there is a possibility of mets.

We'll know more after the 24th.  And, yeah, my mammogram for the LEFT breast lump was not found, I felt it, and my gyn did, so we went for ultrasound/MRI, and it was there.  Mammos are NOT great diagnostic tools...BUT it DID find my cancer, which was NOT palpable, and I'd had NO idea it was there...so I tell EVERY woman to GO for those yearly mammos...if I waited a year?  It would've gone THRU the chest wall into my lungs.  So, I stay positive, and just hope for the best, but lots going on (not to mention being disabled due to daily migraines/nausea!!!!)...LOL....take care! ~juli

Of course they do!!!  You KNOW how it is only a year out of cancer treatments...one does not PANIC, but sure, one WONDERS!!!  PLUS, with the individual history I have...PLUS, being thrust INTO chemo-induced menopause...was totally pre-menopausal before chemo...never any lumpy breasts, and haven't had any since.  It's a lump on top of a mass...of course, I do NOT discount cysts, but this is not a cyst...all my docs/and surgeon concur.  I don't make this stuff up on my own!!   LOL....I'd PREFER it to be benign and NO surgery/treatments would have to be done!!!  THAT is the hope!  I am just very very realistic, have to be, as I have to take care of myself daily!!  I'm basically on my own...so I gotta be able to take care of whatever comes up...so I err on side of caution/reality.  THEN make the plans for WHATever we have to do...and go from there.  DEFinitely ALL women should get lumps checked, even if their GYN doesn't believe it's anything...if any suspicion, demand more workups...it's YOUR body...only YOU can be your OWN advocate....I emphasize that totally!    ~juli