This is me. Diagnose on May 2006 with multifocal ductal carcinoma second grade. Chemo, surgery, rads and tamoxifen and … this week I found a new lump on my other breast (this time the lump feels painful but I don’t really think that means anything relevant in terms of cancer) and now I am waiting for my ultrasound next week. Quite scared. The consultant told me it didn’t feel like cancer but, I don’t believe you can distinguish between cancer and a benign cyst just like that. Anybody in the same situation.
Not had anything similar myself, but just wanted to say that I am sorry you are having to go through this. The waiting is always so awful isn’t it? Hope all goes well next week. Will be thinking of you - let us know how you get on.
Hi happynipple (I love the nick!)
I haven’t had this, but as you know from your first dx, the experts can’t tell either without a battery of tests, so you’ll have to keep your chin up for that (waiting’s hell). However, what I do know from experience is that medics rarely offer any reassurance at all if they think there’s a chance of it being bad news. So here’s to it being a cyst, or even a ubiquitous fatty lump!
Sarah
xxxx
Hi there,
Try not be worry!, Easier said that done i know, I know what u r going though, I was dx in oct 07 and finished my treatment end of june 08, My onc has found another lump on the same side, I also waiting for ultrasound scan,
My lump is painful too, my dr said it a cyst,
I wish u all the luck in the world,
hugs
Em XX
I do not want to scare or upset anyone or be negative in any way but saying that painful lumps are usually benign could stop someone from getting a lump checked out. I too was under the impression that if it was painful then it was nothing to worry about, however my tumour was very painful in particular I had stabbing pains and it was very painful if I touched it and it turned out to be grade 2 ductal carcinoma. I had to be pushed into getting it checked because I had none of the usual signs and it was painful and loads of people said to me they had had the same and it had only been a cyst. It may be a nothing sinister but it is always wise to get any lump checked out.
I don’t think you are being negative. I believe you are completely right. The fact that a lump is painful or painless doesn’t have anything to do with it malignancy so, I am quite surprise that we are still told that if is painful we don’t need to worry about, that makes me feel even more worried as I think people who should have the knowledge about cancer and they suposse to be especialist are far from that.
I was in your exact situation last week.Both my GP and my surgeon said it did not feel 'worrying’it was about 1cm,smooth,not firm,not fixed and was a bit sore when i poked it.The ultrasound showed a cyst which was aspirated immediately and was benign.I mentioned to the radiologist that I had had quite a large area of benign calcification in that breast for years and he said that that would not show on US whereas cancers and cysts would so that may be an explanation for you.A mammogram does show such things.I think you can be very reassured that the ultrasound showed nothing suspicious.Good luck Valxx
I had 5 cysts drained separately over the space of about 4 years before my eventual breast cancer, and you could definitely feel the difference. The cysts ranging from the size of a small pea to a small egg, were all moveable under the skin. You could get them between your fingers and sort of move them around under the skin. They were all drained and I had no pain in them, nor did they hurt when they were drained. My breast cancer did not hurt at all to the touch. However, when they stuck the needle in to take the FNA, god that was painful. My lump was hard and grissly and he couldn’t get the needle in, I think I knew then really before the results of the cores what it actually was. Benign cysts usually tend to be fairly moveable. Tumours are more static and stuck to other tissues when you try to move them around.