Hi
I was just wondering, have read on a couple of posting, both here and USA site that once a lump is big enough to feel, it has probably been there 8 to 10 years. my surgeon said that it had been growing at least 6 months. Once again I am confused
best wishes
Dawne
Hi Dawne
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Best wishes
Lucy
As far as I know it very much depends on the Grade of the Cancer. Grade 1 being the least aggressive, and can take years to grow, and Grade 3 the most agressive and can grow quickly. The tumour I was diagnosed with was Grade Three, and like you my surgeon thought it may have been there for up to six months. Good luck. Sarah.
I was diagnosed with a benign fibroid measuring 46mm. When the surgeon took it out it was hiding a grade 3 tumour measuring 33mm. The surgeon told me it had been there six months. However, I was Her 2+ and a relative who is an oncology professor told me the gene that caused the cancer had probably mutated 10 years prior to diagnosis and it takes that length of time to become a cancer. I have also read that they know in many Her 2+ cases that the growth hormone doesn’t switch off in your body naturally when it should, around about the age of 28.
Hi Ladies
When I asked my onc if the cancer had been caught early enough, I was told they couldn’t tell me how long it had been there!!!
I was grade 2 with 39mm tumour.
It was only through chance that I found mine, and am now paranoid about everything that I feel (only natural I suppose).
Take care
Angie
xxxxxxx
My surgeon told me that rule of thumb is Grade 1 takes 10 years to become evident to the touch, Grade 2 5years and Grade 3 6-9 months.
I had a 5cm grade 3 tumour that was not there less than 2 years before dx because I had had mammograms and ultrasound at that time
Very interesting thread. I sort of assumed that my lump had popped up overnight … I bath daily and as far as I am concerned the lump was not there on the Friday but was certainly there on the Saturday. When I was asked to give my version of events to the GP and the consultant etc I said as much and no-one said anything about it being there longer … might be something I will ask next time I see any of the clever ppl who like to mess about with my boobies.
My lump did just appear because I am very vigilant in self checking and probably check really thoroughly at least every two weeks or so. I was lucky (?) that my cancer was contained within a cyst and something made it swell up with fluid over a short period so I noticed it and caught it very early on. I guess like someone else said, it all depends on the different type of tumour. Some will grow quickly, some won’t. Another question for my list to throw at my poor young onc.
my information came from Dr Susan Love’s breast book a publication which you can buy on amazon. Some people get frightened by it, I’m quite interested in the biology. Cancer starts from one cell mutating, then it doubles and keeps doubling. Grade 3 cancers double more quickly than grade 1s. There is also some debate about whether the rate of doubling can change during the process, for example stop start stop etc.
We don’t know enough about cancer - that’s the conclusion I have come to. But once cancer is detectable it is not really that early in its life cycle.
at least that’s the impression I get
Mole
Like you Cathy I am the same, vigilant in self examination. I had been examining myself for over 20 years as I used to work for a foreign bank that gave us well person screening every year. The company doctor showed all the woman the technique and I had always kept it up as I always had very achy breasts at the time of the month. I found my lump the day after I finished a period and was totally shocked as it was I had not detected anything the previous month.
another issue is that most of the lump can be the reaction of other tissue to the cancerous cells, which become harder as a result of the abnormal cells, its called schirrous, probably spelt it incorrectly
so your lump isn’t all cancer
mole
When I was originally seen by the breast surgeon, I asked how long the tumour might have been growing. His view was that it was a slow growth tumour, and had probably been growing for at least 5 years before diagnosis and possibly longer. It has not markedly enlarged in the five years since.
Hi Dawne
Grades of tumour depend on the size of the tumour and lymphovascular invasion and secondaries not how long it has taken to grow or how aggressive. The Histopatholoigst works it all out depending on the above.
I was grade 3 when diagnosed with a 3-4cm tumour and lymph gland involvement, I had chemotherapy and then when I had my WLE it was Grade 2 due to shrinking to 1.2cm and still in lymph glands. I have just had a mastectomy for a local recurrence and it was classed as grade 2 and it was 0.5cm with lymphovascular invasion.
My Surgeon told me that mine probably started growing during pregnancy (ER and PR negative, Her-2 positive) was was growing for about a year. I was very vigilant in checking myself ever month and because it was behind the nipple it took time to surface. I also had a tumour the size of a golf ball in my lymph glands and I couldn’t feel it, even the Oncologist couldn’t feel it sometimes.
I hope this puts your mind at rest.
Mandyxx
Hi to you all
Thanks for all your imput. I think things are a bit clearer now, or at least I have a few alternatives to think about.
best wishes
Dawne
hello,
Isnt the grade of a cancer how abnormal it looks and how quickly it therefore grows i.e. grade 1 is least aggressive and grade 3 most aggressive. I think Mandy is talking of the ‘stage’ when she says how big the tumour is, and whether it has spread. My cancer is grade 2 i.e. more aggressive than 1 but not as aggressive as 3, and I was stage 2 as it had spread to my lymph nodes.
With regards to how quick the lump grows, mine seemed to appear almost overnight. I had a mammogram and was examined and nobody believed it was cancer. However, when they decided to give me another mammogram as the lump was covering an area behind my nipple, they find a 13mm grade 2 cancer, the rest of the lump was calcification and the reaction of my breast to the cancer.
As has been mentioned her2 cancers also grow more quickly and spread more quickly than none her2.
Polly x
Polly x
YOU have me pondering now I have had yearly mamms for about five years due to tiny calcification spots , had biopsy on these when 1st discovered anf found to be benign. From Oct 2006 Mammagram to Oct 2007 a non palbable 18mm grade 2 tumour was discovered and had actually spread to one lymph node. I thought because of annual mammograms mine had formed in one year . However I will have a word with ONc when i see him next
Bobbiex