lump on elbow

[mayo]

My 18 year old son has a lump on his inner arm to the side of his elbow.  it is small,slightly whiter than the surrounding skin and resembles a lipoma, but the surface skin is wrinkled.  Our doctor has assured us it is nothing to worry about, although he is not sure what it is, but has suggested it is from pressure from leaning.  However, skin is not rough or calloused.  He prescribed a anti-bacterial cream ( I think it is steroidal too) but it is not having any effect.  I have recently been treated for breast cancer, and am probably neurotic, but want to rule out anything sinister.  It is about 3 weeks since we noticed it, and it does not appear to be growing.  There is no tension in the skin - in fact the opposite. It is not painful or itching.  I obviously will return to my doctor if it persists, but it is making me very anxious.  I know you cannot make a definitive diagnosis with out an examination, but does it sound as if it could be cancerous, or is this unlikely?  Thank you so much for your time.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I certainly understand your concern, but I don't think this sounds cancerous at all.  If the surface skin is wrinkled, it may be a dermatofibroma, a completely benign fibrous growth.  The doctor most likely gave you the cream just to try something,m but no cream is likely to make this go away, and that's OK.  If you're still concerned, a dermatologist can give you a definitive answer, but will almost certainly not recommend any biopsy or removal.

Best.


Dr. Rockoff