Lump

[cotorie]

I am new to this forum. Recently I woke up with a large mass in my left breast; it appeared over night. I went to the doctor who told me he thought it was an injury; he sent me home with 800mg motrin and said to call back if it got worse. I called for the next two days due to the pain I was in. When I finally got through to him he sent me to the emergency room. The ER doctor checked me out and said he thought it might be some sort of cyst. He prescribed pain relievers and an antibiotic. He told me that since it was so large the antibiotics would not get rid of it completely, but they would help and I would probably need to have it drained. In the meantime, I had a diagnostic mammo done with and ultrasound done. This doctor could not get a clear read and thought it might be cancerous and suggested that I have a needle biopsy. I am confused.............the antibiotics did make it smaller(still large, but not as large) and I have no history of any kind of cancer in my family. I am scheduled for a core biopsy this month. I guess my question is, is it possible for antibiotics to make cancerous lumps smaller????? I have also heard and read that cancerous lumps in your breast are generally not painful. Is this true??

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This is good news. You need to worry less. 'Less amassed' would mean starting to resolve and showing signs of healing - which would favour an infective diagnosis. It is not possible for a course of antibiotics to decrease the size of a cancerous lesion.

Going ahead with a biopsy is a good idea - to get a confirmed diagnosis. Also, continuing the antibiotics for longer is good, as your lesion seems to be responding to antibiotics.

Do let us know about your progress.
Get a copy of the biopsy report for yourself.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[cotorie]

  I had my mammo and target sonogram this morning. The new radiologist said he feels like this is an infection. He said that the first set of films differ from the ones they took today. Todays look somewhat smaller and less "amassed". Overall, I guess they look better. They want me to go back on antibiotics and still do the biopsy next week. He spoke with another radiologist who feels the same way. They want to try and figure out what type of infection this is and the best way to treat it. Needless to say, I am still praying on it. Wish me luck and please let me know how things go with your labs.

[purplequeen]

hi love,
thank you for your kind words! it feels wonderful to know that i'm not on my own. I have 2 children, aged 3 and 5 and through all of this they have been the best distraction. How did your mammo go? i'm still waiting for an appointment but i have been for blood tests today. just remember, for every test you go through, it's one more you can tick off your list. i have to wait 5 working days for the results which feels like an eternity. whatever the outcome though for both of us, remember that there is strength in numbers and we'll all be here for you.

[cotorie]

Thank you for your response! I have done nothing but worry since all of this came about. I have a 3yr old son and he is all I think about! I go for an additional mammo this morning. Thank you again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

You need to relax and take things positively. Get the biopsy done - discuss about it with your doctor - the type of biopsy - whether needle aspiration or core biopsy and the other details about the proceudre. This is usually a safe procedure.

From what you describe, this looks to be a cyst most probably, which has responded partially to the medication. But a confirmed diagnosis can only be given after investigation as there are other conditions which could present in a similar way.

The lesions you describe are not cancerous or malignant most probably. Yes you are right, cancerous lumps are not painful usually. Painful lumps are usually associated with infected cysts or mastitis or fibroadenoma etc.

Also, antibiotics do not decrease the size of a cancerous lesion. Do not worry and try to clear all your doubts. Do let us know about how you are doing.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[purplequeen]

i forgot to add... you are doing the right thing. whatever the outcome I'm sure you'll get the right advice. I hope it all goes well for you. I too am in the same boat as you. I have black discharge leaking spontainousley from my left breast with a lump about 3cm accross under the nipple and I am awaiting an appointment for a mammogram/ultrasound/fine needle biopsy. Initially, when i went to the doctors i was told that because of my age and level of fitness I could probably expect it to be an infection and was given antibiotics. However, since taking them i feel no better, although I'm in no pain. The results of the swab taken from my breast shown no sign of infection (which was what was expected) and now I'm left with no extra infomation appart from the fact that my prolactin levels are high. The treatment in England is so much different than yours and I will have to wait at least a fortnight before I even have a chance to see a specialist. In the mean time the lump that has developed since seems to be getting bigger by the day and more black discharge seems to be leaking more than ever before. It is also true that cancerous lumps are not generally painful, but as with any lump on the breast, it is none the less scary. and taking the antibiotics don't seem to have made my lump any smaller.
Let us know how you get on in your forthcoming tests, I'll be looking out for your reply and thinking of you.

[purplequeen]

It sounds as if it is an infected cyst. the antibiotics will have made it smaller by treating the infection but they will not make the cyst go away. I had my rt ovary removed for a similar problem when I was 15 and I have never looked back since. Another possibility is mastitis, infection of the milk ducts. sometimes (in the case of my mother) it can leave behind a lump which will be completey harmless, but does produce the symptoms that you described in your question.