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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Breast Lumps
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 Lumps
by Grandma-Sue, Aug 03, 2001 12:00AM
I found a lump about month ago. Went to family dr to verify the lump. I have taken a mammogram and sonogram, which both didn't show the lump. I then return to my family dr., he again found the lump and he did a fine needle aspiration. The lump turn out to be to hard to drain so he sent me to a surgeon. The biopsy was to be Thursday but was postpone till Monday the 6 of Aug. 2001.
My family dr said it was hard, if so, why didn't it show up on both the test I took. Are they not telling me something. They told me the reason while I was postpone was the dr was in a 5 hour surgery. Now I'm on the list for Monday the first thing.
Can a hard lump be hiding on both test, or am I looking for something more dangers.
The waiting is really getting to me, I was all set for Thursday for the surgery and now I'm getting scared to death.
Any thoughts as why the test didn't show anything. Also the did a
reg. X-ray of my left breast. How can you tell on a X-ray if there is cancer or a lump. The lump is on my left breast, top right side, and cancer runs in my family.
Can you help.
Grandma-Sue
My family dr said it was hard, if so, why didn't it show up on both the test I took. Are they not telling me something. They told me the reason while I was postpone was the dr was in a 5 hour surgery. Now I'm on the list for Monday the first thing.
Can a hard lump be hiding on both test, or am I looking for something more dangers.
The waiting is really getting to me, I was all set for Thursday for the surgery and now I'm getting scared to death.
Any thoughts as why the test didn't show anything. Also the did a
reg. X-ray of my left breast. How can you tell on a X-ray if there is cancer or a lump. The lump is on my left breast, top right side, and cancer runs in my family.
Can you help.
Grandma-Sue
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-rf, Aug 06, 2001 12:00AM
Dear Grandma-Sue: Sometimes lumps do not show up on either mammogram or ultrasound. This is why experts are always looking for new techniques to identify breast cancer. If your doctor was unable to get adequate tissue using a fine needle, then he/she did the appropriate thing by sending you to a surgeon. The only way to know what a “lump” is - is to biopsy it. There is no x-ray that can differentiate a cancer from a non-cancer for certain. Since it did not show on mammography, stereotactic biopsy is not an option. An excisional biopsy is the correct choice.
