Rock hand lump underarm with nightsweats...Please help!

[armyCDT]

Hi I am a 24 year old and am very concerened.  I have a high history of family cancer.  One of my aunts have leukemia, the other has lymphoma.  My twin sister has papillary carcinoma, thyroid cancer, and I have had squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
For the past 5 months I have been experiencing drenching night sweats and fatigue.  I also have a rock hard lymph node under my arm.  It is approximately 2-3 cm in length and maybe 1cm in diameter.  Doctors have ruled out numerous things: mono, CMV, HIV, hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, toxoplasmosis...etc, etc.
The one thing they have not ruled out is cancer.  They are taking the approach of "watch and wait"!
It has not responded to 5 weeks of antibiotics and is gradually increasing in size, it is completely rock hard and totally painless!  
I just want to hear any bodies experience in actually being diagnosed with breast cancer and the long wait that you might have gone through before the diagnosis.  It has already been 5 months...how much longer do I wait until they do a biopsy?
Any story would greatly help!  Questions to answer might be:
Did you have rock hard lymph nodes under your arm?
Were they completely painless?
Did you have night sweats?
Did you have a CT or PET scan?
Etc., I just want to hear your story!!!

Thanks so much!

[Pilotmom]

I went through something similar when I was 24 years old.  I had a large lump on my right breast.  The doctors didn't seem concerned and would simple say:  let's see if it changes.  I finally found a doctor, at the University of Washington Hospital, who was could see that the stress it caused me due to it being there and no one being willing to biopsy it, was far worse than than removing it.  The surgery was simple & it proved to me it was not cancer, it was a fibrous mass ~ which was obvious to all the doctors ... but, as women hearing "find it early" being told "wait" seems to be contrary to everything we're told.

When I was 46 years old, I didn't detect the lump found by my gynecologist during an annual exam (this time on the left side).  This lump was very small. The doctor didn't think it was anything, but it's location and my age meant it was worth checking out.  The NEXT day I was in for a mammogram. The mammogram showed that it was a questionable growth. The doctor examining the mammogram suggest a biopsy. The NEXT morning a Core Biopsy was performed.  Within 24 hours I had the results:

The biopsy revealed stage II Infiltrating Ductile Carcinoma. I watched as my daughter (9 years old) rode her bike laughing & playing, as the doctor told me I needed to make appointments with surgeons and oncologists.  My life changed ~ in some ways for the better ~ in some ways not.  I was encouraged to have a mastectomy, since the cancer had infiltrated the ducts and could be in the lymph system.

I encourage you not to worry, but to take the time to find a doctor that will listen to your concerns.  It may mean going to a doctor who is not in your insurance's medical plan ~ but it may be the investment that you need for peace of mind.  

Go get it checked out.  Tell the doctor exactly how you feel & that you want a biopsy to confirm it is or is not cancer.  

[Cleveland Clinic]

Dear armyCDT:  The general rule of thumb when a lump is discovered is that it requires evaluation.  The nature of the evaluation depends upon the clinical examination by the doctor.  Lumps under arms can be many things beside breast cancer.  In cases where the lump grows and the source is difficult to determine, a biopsy may be recommended.