Hi,
Today went to the breast clinic for a check up after finding a lump behind my left nipple and changes to the area around my nipple. My GP has felt the lump and that was why I was referred.
After seeing the consultant who examined my breasts and felt the lump I was sent for a mammogram and ultrasound. Both came back clear with no lump showing, but the doctor who performed the ultra sound did not even check my breast for the lump beforehand and basically said that if you squeeze your breasts you can always find a lump or two, it appeared she hadn’t even looked at my notes to see that the consultant had felt the lump himself and she made me feel like I was imagining the lump. I found her very dismissive and I actually felt upset by her treatment.
I then saw the consultant again and he said the mammorgram and scan were normal and there was no sign of cancer, and said the lump could just be breast tissue. However, he does want me to return in six weeks as he wants me to apply cream to my nipple area as the change in it could be inflammatory or an infection of some sort and he wants to see if the cream helps and the discharge from my nipple stops.
My question then is can mammograms and ultra sounds miss small lumps. I have come home and checked my breast again and there is a definite oval type shape lump of about a centimeter behind my left nipple and I am still concerned.
I suppose it would be possible for a mammogram to miss a small lump if the breast tissue was too ‘dense’ for the lump to be seen. But the Ultra sound would have ‘spotted’ it. If you’ve ever had an ultra sound while pregnant, you will know that very tiny details can be seen on it. This is why an ultra sound is used in conjunction with the mammogram. However, there was no need for the doctor to be so dismissive of your fears. Did you check with the flat of your hand, or did you use your fingertips? I can feel lumps all over my breast with my fingertips, but not with the flat of my hand.
Sending best wishes for your return in 6 weeks time and hope that you get some answers.
poemsgalore xx
Hi, thanks for that reply.
You can feel the lump with both flat of hand and fingertips, my GP has felt it and the consultant yesterday also felt it but the doctor doing the ultrasound didn’t even try before performing the ultrasound. It is much harder to feel it whilst lying down and I wondered whether it could be missed as ultra sound is performed lying down and its right behind my nipple.
Anyway I suppose I will just wait the 6 weeks and when I go back ask if it’d be helpful to re-do the ultrasound with me sitting up.
Thank you 
Hi
I had a lump just below my nipple. At breast clinic doctor also noticed a discharge. Mammogram, ultrasound and biopsies all came back clear. The breast surgeon told me that he was 99% sure I didn’t have cancer but to make absolutely sure he recommended that I have a microdochectomy, the removal of a single duct.
To cut a long story short, pathology of the duct showed invasive lobular cancer. Apparently this type of cancer is often not seen in mammograms and ultrasounds.
Mary
Mary32 I am so sorry to hear that, I hope you are Ok and getting through it.
That’s exactly what I am worried about, I have a very thickened nipple too that has happened just recently which the doctor noticed and have had some discharge but typically none when I was in with the consultant!
Well its another 5 and a half weeks late but I am gonna have to be more insistent at the next appointment!!
Thanks and hugs to all you guys for replying x
Thanks guys, 6 week check up appointment was finally after 12 weeks not six but at least I’ve had it now, yesterday Dr took three biopsi samples from my left breast, said it didn’t feel like lobular cancer as it felt more like a “thickening”, this confused me because everything I’ve read said lobular cancer feels more like a thickening?! Anyway he also took a needle aspiration of a swollen lymph gland in my neck again saying he didn’t think it was anything concerning, just to check.
Now its just waiting two to four weeks for the results but I am kind of hoping I would hear sooner if the results showed something so I am guessing the longer I wait the less likely it is to be cancer but I could be wrong here!
I do feel reassured after yesterday’s appointment, pretty sure it’ll all be clear and the Dr was really good but even though I feel that way I still feel nervous about waiting for the results!
Thanks for all your responses! Xx
Hi Soosmoss,
I have had a lump in my left breast too, found in March this year. It was painful as i leant down to watch tv…not a position I normally would lay in! On the Monday I saw my doctor who referred me asap, as she could feel the lump. A short while (within 2 weeks) I was sent for scan, mammogram and on the second visit, had an aspiration and biopsy taken. Those results appeared to be ok, but one of the consultants on my next visit was not too sure.
The first time at the hospital, the doc said it is difficult to ascertain the size of the lump due to thickening of larger breasts, but definately it needed checking out (he was a stand in doc, the actual consultant didnt turn up…later advised he probably had an urgent case!`…Since the above, I have undergone another scan and small biopsy - the lump was too hard to get much of a sample…now I am awaiting another scan this Friday, and a Consultant appointment to discuss any findings in the first week of July.
Although I do feel I have been dealt with fairly quickly and with sensitivity, I now have more questions than answers. To add to all this, I now have had to have a gynea swab and internal scan, and await those results too!! What next I ask myself…
I do hope you get the all clear in the near future Soosmoss, and I do understand your concerns and this Forum makes me realise we are not alone in all this. I do have family and close friends that are concerned about me, and this makes me feel slightly bouyed up at this time.
Wishing you all well, and look forward to catching up, with good new I hope!
Regards, Jane x
Hi Kess,
As I reported on this thread last week, I have now had a biopsi to check for lobular cancer, have had my appointment through for results (amazingly after waiting 12 weeks for initial follow up appointment, I recieved details of next appointment the day after the biopsi), so I go for the results in 2 weeks.
Xx