Have had lump in the upper left part of my abdomen for almost a year and...

[djd1980]

I have had a lump which seems to be growing around the left rib cage since last November. I had my latest VP shunt series done and just by chance a black circular thing showed up in the exact same spot where I have the lump and pain. I would like to know if you think this is a bowel thing or a stomach thing. I am aware that it looks like an air pocket, but keep in mind that this lump has been there for 11 months and I have not been constipated or have been "backed up" for 11 months. Why whatever it is, would it be there for so long. And why is the lump getting bigger? It is hard to touch and does not feel like air or fluid.

[djd1980]

I have never been checked for that. I'm going to a specialist tomorrow. I have a VP shunt from hydrocephalus, but never really had any cancer scares before.

[Matthew007]

Good luck getting that checked out :S yeah with a family history of it - that's pretty scary..hope your doctors move quick on that one!  Are your blood tests normal?  Been checked for cancer?

Anyway good luck!

[djd1980]

I'm getting it looked at tomorrow morning, but the weird thing is my dad died of MALT Lymphoma of the stomach. I didn't think those things were hereditary though. I was just wondering if it was my stomach or bowel. When it all started I thought it was on my rib, because that's how it feels when I touch it. The lump is about 4 inches wide at least now.

[Matthew007]

could be some stomach issue..the location looks like right at the stomach.  Maybe endoscope to see if anything is there but still a safe CT scan would be quick.

[Matthew007]

Yeah I agree with mammo..should be off to a MRI or Ctscan to get a better picture of what is going on with it, what is it attached to?  The pancrease?  Stomach? Colon?  Muscle? Lung?  I'd be wanting more details than a foggy xray (plus xrays do not show inflammation very well)  Also blood testing for cancer..basically i'd be buggin the doctor day and night for answers on that one.

[mammo]

It looks and sounds like a tumor or cyst, which both will continue to grow.  You need to get this addressed right away, as it could become malignant if it's a tumor.