Breast Mass after long term seroid use for adrenal disease

[bradfordvero]

Hello, I am 46 years old and last week found a large lump "mass" in my right breast.  I have an appointment for a mammogram tomorrow and will see where things go from there.  I have been very sick for 4 years.  I suffer from adrenal insuffeciency and am taking life time steroid replacement therapy.  I was treated for a virus with high dosages of steroids 4 years ago that spread to my eyes and destroyed part of the retinas in both eyes.  I am legally blind in both eyes.  My adrenal glands shut down and will not work any longer no matter what is done to "wake" them up.  As most of you know, steroids have many side effects.  If it is on the list of side effects, I have it or suffer from it or will.  I was wondering if long term steroid use is thought to cause breast cancer or any breast disease?  I can't find anything on this topic.  My health care is managed by a team of five wonderful physicians.  Both my pain care physician and internest have felt the lump and agree that I need to have a mammogram and see a surgeon right away.  The lump is about 2.5 inches long and 1/2 inches wide and hard to tell how deep.  It is hard, not semi soft like a cyst of lipoma.  Both doctors agree that it does not feel like a cyst, which I have had before but went away.  Before all of my medical problems I was a very healthy person.  I went to my ob/gym every year and had a couple of suspicious mammograms over the years that all turned out fine.  One biopsy done by the radiologist that was benign in the right  breast also but a different side.  I have put off all of my mammograms and ob/gyn visits over the last four years while I concentrated my funds on the emergencies at hand.  To get the the guts of my question, does anyone know of a link between steroid therapy and breast cancer and disease.  I know that most breast lumps are benign so I am not too worried about this lump.  There is no pain but it is getting so large you can see the skin dimpiling.  I don't know how I missed it other than I do not give breast exams to myself and I am single so no one else is enjoying them either.  I have been on three steroids decadron, prednisone and cortif to treat my medical problems and now to replace the steroid not produced by my adrenal glands.  I stopped having periods about a year ago as a result so I may have gone into menopause.  Having no adrenal function keeps me from having all of the natural hormones they deliver.  Steroids is just one of them.  Thanks for your help, sorry if I bored everyone with all the details of my complicated last four years.  

[bhumi123]

Hi,
There has been no documented evidence of long term steroid use leading to breast cancer. There have been a few reports of increased risk of breast cancer following oral contraceptive use/ horonal replacement therapy - which essentially includes estrogen and progesterone therapy. Other than that no documented reports of steroids causing breast cancer exist. Apart from that you have to rule out other risk factors that could predispose you to breast cancer. Discuss with your  treating physician what needs to be done for the definite diagnosis in your case.