Today, a week after my FNA, I met with the consultant, who is still on the lines “I think” she said, that I have a fibroadenoma, although my age (43) is against me in this respect and as the results from the FNA were inadequate, she would likely remove the lump, which is 11mm, anyway.
Then she said that as the FNA was inconclusive, that I needed a biopsy. I asked if she was going to remove it anyway, why the need for a biopsy? Then she stated that if a fibroadenoma, that it was “probably” something that I had had for a long time and she would “probably” leave it!
Am no doctor, but am left feeling suspicious about the information I have been given. It has not instilled much confidence in me at all. I know a fibroadenoma is a benign condition, that it is common in younger women, however, given my age, while her findings suggest that’s what it is, why then am I having a biopsy? It seems a pointless waste of time and resources, to have a ten minute appointment, when they could have written to me arrange a biopsy or removal of the offending mass in my breast!
So now, another weekend, awaiting results of a biopsy!
Well done, Summer, for finding that inner resilience in coping with these hospital doctors who sometimes dont seem to work logically, but they do have your best interests at heart, and they are right to not put you through an anaesthetic for a possibly benign condition.
The waiting will be difficult, but feel free to air your worries to us lasses on here, your wait doesnt seem long, as i didnt get my results for 2 weeks after my biopsy and i was knocked for 6 when they told me it was cancer, I had no-one with me either!!
So take someone with you when you go for your results, all the best, I am keeping my fingers crossed that you’ll have good news, and let us know how you get on.
Yesterday I was feeling a bit strange about my experience with the consultant, today, after speaking with the doctor, I feel more reassured that what will be will be! Until they find out what it is, there is little I can do!
I suppose like anybody, my mind goes into overdrive when we don’t get immediate answers and feel that a consultant’s clinic was a waste of time, however, I shouldn’t grumble, I have had the MMG. US FNA and core biopsy all within three weeks of my GP referring me. That’s much better than some of the stories I have read. Keeping things in perspective is what is required and patience must reign in me now till a week on Monday…
I think because of my age, this is why they’re not stating for definite it is a fibroadenoma straight out and I understand that the biopsy will be more conclusive than the FNA.
I have a question regarding fibroadenoma and Phyllodes tumours.
I have read that it is very diffcult to distinguish between the two and given that my FSH levels are high, a recent blood test has confirmed this, has any person been diagnosed with a fibroadenoma in the peri menopausal period?
Hi sommer I work in breast screening and lots of premenopausal women get diagnosed with fibroadenomas… Also peri nd post meno periods. We have to have a difinitive daignosis before doing or not doing something… So they wouldn’t want to leave it in the hope it was an FA but likewise they oukdnt want to iv you a GA to remove a benign FA they wouldn’t normally treat with surgery.
Back to the horrible waiting game… Fingers crossed its good news.
YOu have put my mind at rest. So, even at my age, if it comes back as a fibroadenoma, they would leave it alone? I was told because of my age they would remove it!
I first noticed the pain under my arm in September, when my friend alerted me to the fact that I kept going to my underarm.
My partner stated that he too, noticed that I was going to that area and finally he ordered me to the doctors, who referred me. The appointment on Thursday, did me little good however, I am more prepared for the next appointment. I don’t want surgery at all, equally I would rather all was removed as it has been bothersome.
The waiting is the killer, however, we still have to get on with things and wishing the time away is of no use.
I am quite sure this is benign, my gut instinct tells me so, I have no medical history of breast or ovarian cancer, apart from a paternal aunt. The positive side of me is very positive, the niggles I can deal with.
Smear test results dropped through the letterbox this morning too, abnormal cells… Oh joy!
Hi Sommer
I had a fibroadenoma removed 10 years ago when I was 46. I like you felt I wasn’t someone who was likely to get breast cancer and although I went to the GP about the lump and was referred I didn’t worry about it at all. I had a mammogram, was recalled for US and biopsy. Was told that it was fibroadenoma but on what I thought was my final visit the BS said he’d rather it was out than in. It was all fine and I was told this didn’t increase my risk of BC in the future at all Imaging techniques have improved since then but I think there is still a risk that something nasty lurks behind a benign lump, and sometimes removal is the best option.
I really hope that everything turns out fine and you never have reason to look at these forums again. The only thing I would say is that my experience reinforced my view that I was not at risk of breast cancer. This confidence led me to discount my risk factors (e.g. discovered shortly after fibroadenoma removal that my paternal grandmother died of BC young in the 1930s). And when I felt a skin thickening last year, I discounted it for several months and didn’t go to GP until it and lymph nodes started to hurt. Still kicking myself for not getting it sorted before it spread to lymph nodes. I don’t mean to frighten you with this story just to say that even if everything is OK this time (which it sounds like it probably will be) take it as a wake up call to stay breast aware and not be lulled into false optimism.
Thank you for sharing that with me, and please don’t worry, you have not frightened me at all.
The more information I get from ladies who have been through this, the better as far as I am concerned. If I wasn’t breast aware before, (I self examined on a monthly basis) now I think I have learned more about my boobs and how I will pick up any “differences” in future.
I am still suspect about the FA, I have a feeling that I can’t shake about it, given the links to oestrogen and certainly that it has presented itself now, when my oestrogen levels are dropping. I can’t shake it off, and am not prepared to, it is on my list of questions to ask the consultant at the results appointment next Monday.
I ahve also read that I should be offered a removal, as opposed to being told that they will leave it, given my age… While I know that FA’S don’t turn cancerous, I do know they can hide something more sinister, and I am not prepared to take a risk that that could happen… I am still quite young, almost 44, and entering the menopause early, this has been confirmed.
Again thank you for sharing your story with me, while it is frightening what can happen, I am more than happy to read women’s experiences, which is what this place is for, to gain support and help.
Our guidelines for removal are to remove them if they are larger than 3 cm or if they are growing rapidly… But they do look at everybody individually and if somebody were to be extremely anxious if it wasn’t removed then they may well opt to take it out.
i was dx with a fibrodenoma back in march 2010 at this time it was ithink 1.2 cm size i was sent to liverpool john moores for futher tests all confirmed benign fibro
cut a long story short it didnt stay that size in october 2011 i found a large lump same area just closer to the surface (also for about maybe a year before i found the lump i noticed an ugly blue vein very close to the surface of the skin)i never had any sign of ugly veins before i was referred back to the breast clinic they arranged to remove it appointment tues admitted 1 week later for a lumpectomy still i was told that it was a fibo and that they would send (cruella my lump )to the path lab as they do with all lumps 2 weeks later after a weeks holiday i returned for a follow up appointment to hear the famouse words IM SORRY TO TELL YOU you have a very rare aggresive form of breast cancer its name is cysto carcoma phlloydes just from my own personal experience i would never leave i fibro in situ again a lumpectomy is not painful i was in surgery at 13.30 pm and out with in 4.5 hours home in time for tea with hindsight which is a wonderful thing i suppose i would still have 2 boobs im not saying this could happen to you i dont want to scare you but this is something that can happen from a small lump out of curiosity what size is yours i have read you are 43 wich is about the right age to have a fibro so heres hoping that is all it is
Thank you again for your reassurances and information! While I have yet to be diagnosed with an FA, I am simply more and more curious about them. I was told that it “resembles” an FA.
Being here and writing it out and talking with you gals, is so helpful and certainly it is worthwhile gaining experiences of other women.
Again, I am not frightened by your story, sorry, but not frightened.
The more I read, the more I will be requesting a removal of this mass, that is in my breast. If I was 22, then I would be willing to leave it. However, there is pain, and I have been told that fibroadenomas are painless lumps.
Thank you for taking the time to respond with your story and I hope you are doing well now!
yes i am fine i had my mx on 23rd nov which was my twins birthday everything went very well i just wanted to get rid of cruella !
i had most of the chest muscle removed as the tumor was set close to it ( because they were still confident it was a fibro when they did the lumpectomy )no margins were taken so when they did the mx the tumor was already the same size in 3 weeks as it was when it was first removed it lymph nodes were removed under my arm as they said they looked suspicious but when biopsied they were fine no sign of any spread everything happend so quick i think i went into auto mode i went home on the 25th november with 2 draculas intact (2 drains ) every thing was straight foward i had 3 seromas drained but apart from that no pain to speak of i went back to work part time after 5 weeks and full time after 7 weeks i just want to get on with my life
back to your posting in 2010 i knew nothing about mine the mamo picked it up no pain it was to deep to feel as i said it was aganst the chest wall 2011 that was a different matter it appeared overnight no joking i had a shower that morning didnt feel anything by 00.30am that same night i had a prominent lump the next day dull ache under my arm .
after lumpectomy and whilst on holiday i said to my husband i have the same sort of pains i had before they took the lump out as they do he said oh thats it healing ! little did we know the Bu**er was growing again the differance between a fibro and phlloydes is size and rapid growth and pain
lizzy c
My little niggle is this, the consultant stated it “could” be something I have had for a long time, however, I did not notice the lump until the doctor showed me where it was. I felt “different” kept going under my arm, and of course once I knew where it was, I did keep running my fingers over it! The pain has been there for about four months. Not a sharp stabbing pain, more of a discomfort. Therefore, I want to ask the question, why has it presented itself now, when my oestrogen levels are dropping? I also have pain throughout my left shoulder, and under my arm.
I suppose all these questions are bound to be there, and I don’t know if it is an FA, it has been mentioned, that’s all. The needle aspiration did not give enough cells to confirm a diagnosis, so the core biopsy will hopefully give a definite diagnosis.
The space between biopsy and results is so hard, as all women who have been through it know, I am positive but the niggles gnawing away at me like a rat will not go away! I had a breast infection in 2003, in the same breast, and I was given anti b’s that cleared it up, doctor just felt and confirmed that nothing was there.
how was yours found ? yourself or doctor ?
mine was originally picked up on my 50+ mammo
it had been in situ for the minimum of 20 months before it had started to rear its ugly head
anyway best get your results first see what it is and make you decision when you have all the facts
remain positive stay focused there is no point in worrying as it wont change anything,thats my motto I got through my mx ct scans bone scans results etc by pretending it wasnt happening !
I went to the GP stating I felt pain in my armpit and the discomfort under my arm and she felt and then referred me to the breast clinic.
You’re right, am pretty upbeat about it, and there has been no diagnosis as of yet, only that it “resembles” an FA, the FNA was inconclusive and the core biopsy was on Friday, appointment 20th with some results and a diagnosis, with a bit of luck!
sorry i may have missed something here where is the lump ? under your armpit or is the discomfort in the armpit and a lump in the boob
i had a very prominent lump to the left upper boob a feeling of fullness and heavyness and sharp hot pains in the lump area not all the time just sporadic also discomfort under the arm not a pain but more of an ache again not all the time .when i was in liverpool they tried aspiration that ruled out a cyst then they biopsied they took 8 samples and this diagnosed the fibro now either the phlloydes grew at a later date inside of the fibro or they missed it completley with each sample snatch.it was diagnosed by the pathologist in the end when they cut it open it displayed the tell tale leaf pattern of a phlloydes
yes you do sound very up beat keep it up and do let us know what it is
will keep my fingers crossed for you
lizzy
The mass is in my left breast, towards my armpit, the pain is in my armpit and as I have a lot of pain in both my breasts pre period, I was putting it down to that. It was after the third month and keeping a diary of pain, that I realised it was there outside of my pre menstrual symptoms. FNA was done, mass did not collapse on aspiration,thus cyst ruled out, the results came back inconclusive, but that the mass resembled homogenous signs of an FA. MMMG did not pick up, US did, hence the FNA. Went back for biopsy, on Friday. They took three samples, from the mass, which is 11mm by 4mm.
Appointment for Mon 20th to discuss findings.
My pain was more of an ache, discomfort rather than stabbing and very different from the usual pre menstrual pain I usually have. I do have pain throughout my shoulder too, however, GP stated that she would look at that once results came back from breast clinic. (I rather stupidly thought it was a good idea last Tuesday to dig some frozen ground over, to plant primulas, but shoulder pain was there before that and that unwise action could have aggravated that)