For over a year now I’ve felt a small lump just under the skin of my breast, and all this time there has been a small dimpling over it when I lift up my arm. 15 months ago it was checked with a mammogram and ultrasound - nothing was seen, except a lump that was of concern somewhere else on my breast that was biopsied and turned out to be benign fibrous tissue. I then had my annual family history surveillance mammogram 9 months ago, followed by a surveillance ultrasound in August, both clear. But now the lump feels more obvious and harder (a bit like the lemon pip they put in the BC warning posters) so I’m going to have it checked again next week.
I’ve had a lot of benign breast issues in the past which have warranted several visits to the breast clinic, and an operation to remove a benign growth. I think if the breast clinic were an airport I’d have a frequent flyer’s gold card by now! But with a significant family history I don’t like to take any chances. I had hoped in aging my dense, lumpy breast tissue would have softened but it doesn’t seem to have.
I am hoping and praying that this could still be benign but wondering if the breast clinic has missed something all this time. I have an appointment in a few days. Can anyone relate?
@amaris34 Thinking of you at this anxious time, I can’t give you any advice except to say you are doing all the right things, by looking out for yourself, returning to the clinic and get checked.
I would like to wish you well, please come back and let us know how you are getting on. So sorry I haven’t been much help.
@Tili Please don’t apologise, your lovely post has really helped me feel I’m part of a community that understand. My poor family has seen me walk this path a number of times, so I am trying not to keep burdening them with ‘what if’ thoughts anymore. So it is good to have people that understand to talk to. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. xx
Don’t ever be apologetic for being your own health advocate. With a FH, and lumpy dense breasts you are absolutely right to take no chances. When i went back to the clinic because i felt a lump, 5 months after a normal mammogram, the surgeon couldn’t feel it and assured me i had “nothing to worry about”. Because I insisted I was worried he reluctantly ordered another mammogram and u/s to reassure me. Sadly it was a second round of cancer (2.5cm).
So keep checking and keep getting checked when you’re concerned. In the meantime keep hoping that you are entirely wrong.
Good luck with the tests and if they cant tell you what the lump is ask for a biopsy.
Thank you so much @Eily. I am so sorry you have had to deal with a second round of cancer but it just goes to show you were right to be insistent. I’ll ask them to biopsy if they can’t tell me conclusively what it is. Vaguely I remember being told before it was just breast tissue and I do know I have fibrous breasts, but it would be good to be absolutely sure. It’s so hard when one has lumpy breasts to know what is important and what isn’t. Thank you for taking the time to reply, I’m so grateful to you.
I can’t personally relate but I had two separate tumours at the same time with negative genetics but it puts my daughter at higher risk as it’s deemed two first degree relatives. She will be able to access screening from 40 but told to check at 35 in case guidelines have changed. She’s in her late 20’s and had a recent scare with swelling on one side, a lump, and discharge. The GP referred as urgent but the breast clinic down graded due to her age. When she eventually got seen nearly 9 weeks later, the swelling had gone down. She was told it was probably hormonal and the lump had disappeared.
You are doing the right thing getting it checked and advocating for yourself. At 54 I found my own lump and the previous year had discharge and crusting at the nipple to be told it was ductal ectasia by ultrasound, which is common as we age especially if you’ve breastfed, which I had. I was due an annual mammogram later that year but due to Covid backlogs, it was more than a year later after my BC surgery that I was called.
I wish you well in your appointment. Fingers crossed it is nothing to worry about.
I’ve had a lot of problems with my own breast history. Various female relatives on my mother’s side have one type of BC or another. But it wasn’t we discovered, some years after she had passed (not of BC), that Mum had had to have a double mastectomy because of multifocal BC that my own situation (dense breast tissue, several benign conditions) seemed to be taken more seriously. She should have had genetic testing but because she was elderly and not really ‘on the case’ she didn’t.
So it is interesting reflecting on your own history and reassuring to know they are keeping an eye on your daughter.
It seems that it is just normal breast tissue beneath the dimpling, although it certainly didn’t feel normal! And the other lump is an old biopsy scarring area. I am hugely relieved and so grateful.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. xx
