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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Breast Cyst is very small, needle aspiration?
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Breast Cyst is very small, needle aspiration?
by ktb2780, May 17, 2006 12:00AM
I am not worried I have breast cancer, but I do not know where else to post this, I hope someone can help. First the background and then, the question:
I am a 25 year old who found a very distinctly different but small lump from the normal tissue near my left nipple. It is very small - about the size of a pencil eraser - actually now that I made the appt with the surgeon, it feels even maybe smaller than that (of course!). Ultrasound/radiologist and my gyn said "just two very very tiny simple cysts". Everyone keeps stressing hte word "tiny" but there is definitely something there to feel. My guess is from looking at a ruler, is that this lump is no more than 2-4mm wide (diameter) from what I can feel. Very tiny indeed when I read that most cysts are atleast 1cm to a couple of inches big.
Because my mom just got done with her treatments for Stage IIb breast cancer last year, this lump, even though it is a cyst, is making me very nervous and I do not want it there no matter how small. I told my doctor I want it aspirated because it mentally bothers me and she set up an appt with a surgeon/breast specialist.
My question is: can a cyst be too small to aspirate even though it can be felt? My mom says the surgeon might tell me he cannot aspirate it even though you can feel it (like I said, smaller than a pencil eraser but definitely there). Can a lump be aspirated as long as it can be felt no matter how small? I do not want to waste the surgeons time for something so small.
I am a 25 year old who found a very distinctly different but small lump from the normal tissue near my left nipple. It is very small - about the size of a pencil eraser - actually now that I made the appt with the surgeon, it feels even maybe smaller than that (of course!). Ultrasound/radiologist and my gyn said "just two very very tiny simple cysts". Everyone keeps stressing hte word "tiny" but there is definitely something there to feel. My guess is from looking at a ruler, is that this lump is no more than 2-4mm wide (diameter) from what I can feel. Very tiny indeed when I read that most cysts are atleast 1cm to a couple of inches big.
Because my mom just got done with her treatments for Stage IIb breast cancer last year, this lump, even though it is a cyst, is making me very nervous and I do not want it there no matter how small. I told my doctor I want it aspirated because it mentally bothers me and she set up an appt with a surgeon/breast specialist.
My question is: can a cyst be too small to aspirate even though it can be felt? My mom says the surgeon might tell me he cannot aspirate it even though you can feel it (like I said, smaller than a pencil eraser but definitely there). Can a lump be aspirated as long as it can be felt no matter how small? I do not want to waste the surgeons time for something so small.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-rf, May 17, 2006 12:00AM
Dear ktb2780: By definition a cyst is benign. There is no reason to aspirate them unless they are causing pain. Whether or not your very small cyst can be successfully aspirated will depend on its location, size and whether the surgeon feels he/she can do the procedure under those conditions.
