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Large Lump on Rib below Left Breast

I have a large lump on my rib that is right below my left breast. It is not in my breast but below my breast.I had a tumor removed a year ago in my right breast, which was benign, but this is strange. It is very large and very distinctive. Can you have a tumor on your rib and not in your breast that might be Breast cancer and what do you think it can be. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
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Avatar universal
Well I have been told by the consultant that there is 'nothing there', and if there was a small cyst it was nowhere near my breast tissue. I think this is a seperate issue non related to the breast. Have any of you been evaluated for a condition called costrocondritis? It is a swelling of the cartelege which sits in between your ribs. It could also be fat necrosis, caused by a blunt force trauma to the area, specially if you are a bit overweight with more fat around the chest. Fat Necrosis can also just 'happen' with no recallable cause.

Lipoma is a benign fatty tumor which is formed when a bunch of lipids (fat cells) decide to stick to each other. These can form anywhere on the body, and are common on the chest, arms and stomach area.

I don't think this is actually a breast condition, once you have been checked by a breast consultant, if you are still worried, ask your GP or primary care doctor to refer you to see a skin & muscle specialist, who can have a look at whether or not this is relarted to fat problems, lipoma, or even spare skin if you have lost a lot of weight quickly.

Another common 'condition' is 'supermammory' breasts. This happens when breast tissue forms outside of the normal area, such as on your sturnum, in your armpit (always check here when performing your self check, as your breast has a tail which goes up toward your axilla (armpit) and feel for any swollen lymph nodes under your arms as well. With a supermammory breast, you can have just the tissue, or the tissue plus a nipple, anywhere on your body! It forms in utero (before you were born and inside your mother's womb) and some say it is caused by your mother's estrogen.

This condition is benign, but it is not yet known if breast cancer can form in a supermammory breast, so until we know for sure, if you do have this condition, check your extra breast & nipple just as you would your usual two on your chest.

A skin callus is where something rubs the skin repeatedly (like the bottom of your feet) and caused a hard layer of dead skin cells to form. A callus can be caused by friction from your clothes even, so wearing an underwire bra that does not fit correctly could cause a callus where the bone cuts into your skin, around your breast or axilla area.

You must always get ANY new lumps & bumps checked out, even if they are not in your breast it is important, because quite a few lumps, even though cancer is rare, can contain cancer or pus, a build up of pus under pressure (abscess) can be pretty painful and even dangerous if it ruptures into the body and the bacteria get into your blood and head up to your brain or heart, causing endocarditis or a brain infection. Abscesses need draining, so if your lump throbs, stings and swells up with a bright red 'head' or a white head on it, it is most likely an abscess and you need to seek medical attention to get it drained, flushed and dressed, it is likely you will also be prescribed an antibiotic to clear any remaining germs from your system.

Please get all these lumps and bumps checked, there is nothing to fear or be embarrassed about, your GP will see about 10 boobs per day of all shapes and sizes, and the same number of vaginas, abscesses, crusty ears and itchy anuses, so don't fret, we are all the same! NOTHING phases a doctor, they would have seen cases far worse than yours.





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Avatar universal
I have exactly this, I went to see my GP and he was 99.9% sure it was a cyst, and unsure if it was even in my breast tissue. I have a checkup and a scan at the breast clinic tomorrow morning and I will post back with what they say. The chance of malignancy in a woman my age, 26, is incredably rare, and my GP was certain as you can be in medicine that it was nothing sinister. He said they may needle it in the clinic to draw the cyst fluid off to make sure it is not an abscess or filled with any bugs. They may on the o ther hand leave it alone, as it has shrunk in size considerably since I saw my GP which is consistant with cysts, they can appear and disappear very quickly and form anywhere in the body, anywhere on the skin and on any organ.
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Avatar universal
I found a lump under my left breast. close to my lower rib  Had a ultasound.  Doctors was not sure what it was.  The radiologist used a guided ultasound and it was a fluid filled cyst, but after he was finished i still feel some like before,i told him.  Well any way i go back next week to see the breast doctor again. well i pulled out my cd of my lung xray last year and can see the area in concerned. i am surprised the radiologist that read my xray did not see it. Let you know when i find more out
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Hi, it sounds like you have fibrocystic breast changes, which is painful but not dangerous it's very common 50-60% of women have it, basically you'll feel lumpiness in your breasts and pain mainly before your period.
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Avatar universal
Hi I just wanted to tell you some details cause your the first person with the exact same symptoms as me. My ribs have been hurting for a while now. Its uncomfortable to drive, its difficult to breathe and my ribs are tender around the area where i recently discovered a lump. Its a hard lump but if I feel around I get minor movement, also if you push there area where the lump is my ribs poke in and out.My back hurts in the exact same area as well. What struck a chord with me on your comment was your skin. My skin hurts and is tender to touch. If I bump into something its way more painful then it should be. Even being lightly touched the wrong way hurts. I noticed your comment was posted in 2008 and I am just curious if you have had any further results on whats going on. I need answers and anything would help.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi I just wanted to tell you some details cause your the first person with the exact same symptoms as me. My ribs have been hurting for a while now. Its uncomfortable to drive, its difficult to breathe and my ribs are tender around the area where i recently discovered a lump. Its a hard lump but if I feel around I get minor movement, also if you push there area where the lump is my ribs poke in and out.My back hurts in the exact same area as well. What struck a chord with me on your comment was your skin. My skin hurts and is tender to touch. If I bump into something its way more painful then it should be. Even being lightly touched the wrong way hurts. I noticed your comment was posted in 2008 and I am just curious if you have had any further results on whats going on. I need answers and anything would help.
Helpful - 0
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