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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Lump developments @ age of 48
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.
Lump developments @ age of 48
by EBD, Jan 14, 2003 12:00AM
Last week a Resident discovered a small hard pea size lump on the lower lateral quad. of my rt breat at 7:00 p.m. (Not easy to locate, even knowing where it is, back closer to the ribs)
Given what I have learned on your web site and others, and a "spot" (per note on film) I saw on my old mammogram films (1999& late 2001), I was surprised that the existence and the location of the "spot" was not communicated to me, for my own knowledge to help me with my monthly breast checks.
Especially since my breast density history is: "focally dense" (95), "moderate dense fibroglandular patterns" (99) to "heterogeneously dense residual fibroglandular tissue" (2001).
My med. history includes, prolactin pituitary tumors last 10 years(dissolved-no longer on dostinex), HRT for last 3 years, total hysterectomy (99)due to severe endometriosis (irregular cells found. My breast are full (38C. Strong family history of early cancer, but no breast cancer.
Thursday I am set for diagnostic mammo. and ultrasound (last ultrasound was 1999). What do you anticipate the recommendation will be? Should be? Assessed risk of cancer, statistically?
Waiting is really the hardest part. Thank for your public service and kindness.
EBD
Given what I have learned on your web site and others, and a "spot" (per note on film) I saw on my old mammogram films (1999& late 2001), I was surprised that the existence and the location of the "spot" was not communicated to me, for my own knowledge to help me with my monthly breast checks.
Especially since my breast density history is: "focally dense" (95), "moderate dense fibroglandular patterns" (99) to "heterogeneously dense residual fibroglandular tissue" (2001).
My med. history includes, prolactin pituitary tumors last 10 years(dissolved-no longer on dostinex), HRT for last 3 years, total hysterectomy (99)due to severe endometriosis (irregular cells found. My breast are full (38C. Strong family history of early cancer, but no breast cancer.
Thursday I am set for diagnostic mammo. and ultrasound (last ultrasound was 1999). What do you anticipate the recommendation will be? Should be? Assessed risk of cancer, statistically?
Waiting is really the hardest part. Thank for your public service and kindness.
EBD
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-JS, Jan 14, 2003 12:00AM
Dear EBD, The next step will depend on the findings of the mammogram and ultrasound. If further evaluation is deemed necessary the next procedure would be a biopsy of the area of concern.
The determination of a person’s individual risk is complex. Attempts have been made to quantify risk using various model’s for example the Gail model which assigns certain number values to risk factors and calculates a person’s risk based on age and a calculated risk number is given. This is only a tool, which can only tell a person their statistical risk based on its criteria. It cannot tell if you actually will get breast cancer. Or if this lump is cancerous or not. Through the National Cancer Institute website there is a risk assessment tool available. The web address directly to that area on their website is http://bcra.nci.nih.gov/brc/
The determination of a person’s individual risk is complex. Attempts have been made to quantify risk using various model’s for example the Gail model which assigns certain number values to risk factors and calculates a person’s risk based on age and a calculated risk number is given. This is only a tool, which can only tell a person their statistical risk based on its criteria. It cannot tell if you actually will get breast cancer. Or if this lump is cancerous or not. Through the National Cancer Institute website there is a risk assessment tool available. The web address directly to that area on their website is http://bcra.nci.nih.gov/brc/
