How many of you actually had a palpable lump?

I found a lump when I was changing one day. I had mammo's on a regular basis, every 6 months for a year and a half. Nothing ever showed up.

My lump was palpable but since I have innumerable cysts in my breasts I did not find this particular one!  After my annual mammo they called me back to measure all my cysts and "found" my cancer by accident.  Had an MRI to insure that this was the only mass.  Had a lumpectomy and removed a 1.5cm mass and thought I was done.

18 months later had an MRI, had regular mammo/ultrasounds every 6 months.  The MRI revealed a spot that was not seen on mammo/US and it turned out to be more ILC.  It was actually part of the original cancer but at the time of diagnosis was thought to be benign! Had an excisional biopsy to remove the mass but later found out that they now think there is another 2mm mass that was labeled benign is actually cancer!

ICL is tricky in that it can be very difficult to see/find since it is flat versus round!

I feel very lucky that I asked for the follow up MRI and found these additional "spots".  No Dr had suggested that I needed one!

I wish you the best in beating this!

No, did not have a lump of any kind. Referral to surgeon said 'non palpable' Surgeon didn't feel anything either. I had noticed, for a little while that the breast was a little bigger than the other, but it was more of a  'hhhm  - I never noticed that before' than a glaring red light that sent me running to my doctor. I ended up with a 6.5 cm tumor and extensive lymph node (9/9+) involvement. That was in 12/05. I am now over 2 years NED and tell women all the time to go thru the hassle of mammo's and if anything seems suspicious, to demand more tests.

Shirley 

I discovered a lump the size of a grape, after doing an emergancy stop.

I thought a first it was some kind of deep bruise, however it didnt get any better.

The doctor refered me to the local breast clinic. The lump could be seen - but never showed up on  mamogram. On the ultra sound it was very clear.

I had a core biopsy that showed cancer cells. For some reason the tests made the lump grow and by the time I had surgery it could be seen through my cloths.

I had a WLE, chemo and rads and two years on am NED.

I work shifts full time and have taken up dancing. I have plans to travel in asia later this year and some more next year.

Just wish everyone else was as well as me.

Harvey

This is all still so new to me.  I had actually felt what I guess is "the thickening" when doing yoga, many months ago but ignored it because I have such dense breasts and I just thought it to be the same old thing.  Then the left breast started itching - on and off - and getting little red rash like bumps.  Because that came and went, i kept ignoring it.  Then I started feeling like I was filling up, almost like lactation but that didn't make sense since I had a total hysterectomy 20 years ago and am 60.  Like wallycat, I started having strange dreams and then in January, while standing on a beach in Oregon, I just knew that I had breast cancer.  I came home and got a mammogram, then an ultrasound, then 2 biopsies and was given the diagnosis of ILC.  This just happened and I am now in the process of looking at treatment decisions.  Now, I can feel the lump, see the change in the nipple area and see dimpling.

Hello,am new to the community ,this is my first post,so hope this works.I found a definate hard lump in left breast on outer side when taking a shower,went next day to the doctors,was fast tracked,had ultrasound,could see this small perfectly round dark coloured area,had fine needle aspiration,and was diagnosed may 06 with pleomorphic infiltrating lobular cancer, i was 44 when diagnosed,2 1/2 cm lump,after WLE,chemo ,rads,now on tamoxifen,was due to have 18 sessions of herceptin after rads but couldnt as muga scan on heart function considered too great a risk....the good news is am NED since,sending my best wishes to everyone,onwards and upwards,Pepper.

No, no lump, just a thickening and slight breast enlargement, not really noticeable. I was dx'd with a stage IIIB tumor (6.5 cm). I wish they would be a little more detailed with the info about breast self exams and the like, it always talks about a 'lump'. Women should know that no lump doesn't necessarily mean no cancer.

Shirley 

I found a lump the size of a grain of sand, and was told it was nothing. I had it biopsied and the radiologist told me 90-10 it was nothing but it was ILC stage T1-0 which was great. I went on armidex, femara, faslodex, and tamoxifen for 3 years could not tolerate any of the drugs, so quit them all together. I could not take any more chemo as I had been on chemo for 3 years for Lymphoma when I found the breast cancer. I am so lucky I found it myself in my exam. I have been on chemos for almost 6 years and just quit them all, just too fatigued all the time, weight gain, moody,tired,

cognative disorder from all the chemo, memory loss just too much for me to bear anymore. I will do the best I can with what I have.

But one thing I had to make sure of was two years prior to me finding the little lump when i had my mammogram they found some dense tissue but told me for two years it was nothing, so when i found the Ilc i called them to show me where the tissue was and where the lump was so that it was not in the same area, just to make sure they did not miss it two years ago. You just never know.

I found my own Lymphoma also so I am getting good at finding my own cancers.

I was at work and reached up to scratch my upper right chest and felt a hard ridged uneven spot and thought that feels weird so called and made an appointment for biopsy and sure enough it was ILC

Donna,

I'm no expert, but it seems hard to believe that something could grow to a palpable size in your breast so fast. It was not seen on an MRI last June, that's less than one year ago. It just doesn't seem likely it could be ILC on the other side already. Still, wouldn't it be nice to be sure so you'd be able to relax about it? Do you think the onc could move your appointment up or the mammo up so you could find out? Better yet, with ILC so sneeky, what about a follow up MRI? 3-4 weeks of anxiety is the pits.

I want to thank you all for this post.  In Feb 08 I was diagnosed with lcis in R breast, but for 5 yrs have had to go back for follow ups on the L breast.  My radiologist (who I've just been seeing for 2yrs now) found the lcis on the R side, and did a post surgery mammo & us 2wks ago, called me last week and said she wants to biopsy the left side.  At the us/mammo, the tech said something about thickening on the left side (I am so fibrocystic I can't tell).  At my last gyn appt. I told my Dr. that the L side seems bigger now than b4 (in Dec.), and she didn't seem too concerned.  My mom had lcis and Ilc, and bc is strong in my family, so my radiologist is very diligent with me.  I go on May 13 for the biopsy on the L side, and now, after reading these posts, have some things to bring up. 

Nash- Thanks so much-I'll definitely keep everyone posted-you guys have been my inspiration and sanity! 

No lump.  I went for my annual mammo and the tech said very calmly that they needed  another view as they could not see everything.  I did not worry untill I had a message to call the mammo center 3 days later.  I had my annual gyn check up the month before so a breast exam and gyn did not feel anything.   After I was called back, I kept touching my breasts and felt something near the arm pit. During the ultra sound the tech got the radiologsit and he said due to a good technician it was found.  I asked the radiologist if what I felt was what they were looking at and he said yes.  Turned out to have 3 tumors (atleast) and positive lumph nodes found even before surgery.  To think if I did not go every year for mammo what would have been.  Karen

Had a cyst over 10 years ago that was mammo'd and the gyn thought it was a cyst as it did grow with the menses then shrink.  It's been there ever since, but I neglected to do mammo's till last fall.  It's always been painful and really never didn't hurt.  The pcp found a second lump but the mammo and/or US with the BS couldn't.  The US bx diagn the IDC 1.7 of which 20% was DCIS.  Sent for MRI to r/o other before surgery and surgery was cancelled when another was found. HAd an MRI Bx of second lump in same breast that was ILC with LCIS involvement. 1cm.  Both lumps were palpable and both were tender to palpate.  The first one actually had been hidden I think by the cyst that remained as large as my thumb for all those years, until last summer when my periods stopped be/c of per-meno.  At that time, I thougth it was lack of hormones as it shrunk, till I felt the rigidness of it and it was not smooth or round anymore.

Recently I felt a similar only elongated one on the the other breast, had mammo and US and even though everyone, PCP, BS, techs and so on can feel it, it shows as nothing.  It still bothers me that it's there, but I havne't had the heart or wherewithall to demand an MRI after reminding the BS that the ILC wasn't found on the mammo or US last time either   Praying they are all right and it's nothing!