Cyst or Breast Cancer

[dolphin8808]

Over the weekend I was doing a self breast exam and found 2 lumps. Of course I freaked out but from what I have read, breast lumps are very very common and typically benign (really hate that word). So I see my OBGYN yesterday and they want me to have a diagnostic mamogram. She said they feal like simple cyst and not what a cancerous breast lump feels like (hard, rough edges etc) When I first called to schedule it, they said the 18th!!!!! WHAT!!! NO WAY could I wait that long. So I called another place this morning and I can get in today at 2! Thank GOD!!!  My doc said they will probably still want to schedule a biopsy (needle used to draw fluid out, not a surgical biopsy) and send it to pathology just to cover all basis. I am all  for it. My mother also gets cysts and has fibroadenoma as did my grandmother. No family history of breat cancer so I am hoping this is just some fluke. I do also get ovarian cysts. They also said that cyst do not put you at any higher of a risk for cancer though, so that is good as well.



Guess I am just venting and looking to share. I am scared ******** as always as I suffer from severe Health Anxiety.

Anyone with advice, I am all ears. Thank you!

[Gastritis_girl]

If you don't mind me asking, what are the sizes of your small complex cysts?

I can't do the ultrasound procedure until Monday the 10th, so I am anxious! My 2 lumps are the size of a golf ball each...I feel that they're smooth surface, and my physican also told me that she things they're benign too, but I'm still scared! I really hope these are cysts too....

[dolphin8808]

Thank you. I am going to discuss it with him and see what he thinks as well. They did say the "6 month follow up" thing is really rather common. But it still makes me super nervous.

Heres to hoping everything is ok! :)

[bluebutterfly2222]

Hi,

Happy to hear only small cysts were identified. I can understand that waiting 6 months does not satisfy your comfort level.  

If the decision is to aspirate, you should be aware that fine needle aspiration  is not always  completely sastisfactory in the case of complex cysts. Here is an explanation from a radiology site:

"Decision making about the best approach to use for percutaneous biopsy of a complex cystic mass involves balancing the need to obtain sufficient material for an accurate diagnosis against the need to minimize the invasiveness of the procedure. The percutaneous biopsy of complex cystic masses may present a challenge, compared with the biopsy of other types of breast lesions, because of the presence of a cystic component that is typically disrupted during the biopsy procedure. In some cases, the decompression of the cystic component may make it more difficult to detect the remaining solid component at US and, therefore, more difficult to target and sample it. The techniques used for biopsy of complex cystic breast masses include fine-needle aspiration, core-needle biopsy, and surgical biopsy."

You might want to ask about the pros and cons of the various approaches, in regard to your specific case, if biopsy is recommended at your appointment tomorrow.

Regards,
bluebutterfly

[dolphin8808]

Thank you so much! They said I had 2 small complex cysts and to follow up in 6 months. That is no good for me, I am too high strung for that. So I have an appointment at the Breast Center tomorrow for a 2nd look at the tests results and to possibly aspirate (which I hope they do). I would like to know for sure.

[bluebutterfly2222]

Hi,

Most of us have been through "scares" such as you are now dealing with, and certainly understand the desire to vent and share.

You did the right thing in contacting your doctor, and she is responding appropriately by doing whatever evaluation studies  appear indicated.

We hope that everything turns out fine for you. Please keep us updated by adding additional comments to this same thread.

Wishing you all the best,
bluebutterfly

[dolphin8808]

Also to add to this, since I've had my IUD I have also developed Ovarian cysts. Pretty painful ones too!