All Topics → Forum: Just Diagnosed → Topic: WHAT did YOUR lump FEEL like?
Posted on: Nov 22, 2007 01:49 PM, edited Nov 22, 2007 01:49 PM by gscott
gscott wrote:
For those who have been diagnosed, can you answer my questions?
1. Did you find your lump on your own or did a mammogram pick it up?
2. Please describe to me what exactly your lump felt like to you or your doctor.
3. Is there a family history?
I'll start with me.
I found a lump during my own exam last week.
It is about 1.5inch by 1 inch, is firm, grew fast, and does move around.
My sister diagnosed with BREAST CA this year and my mom with uterine this year. Other than that there was NO history of cancer anywhere in the family until this past year.
Thank you so much!
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Nov 22, 2007 02:33 PM sharebear wrote:
I found both my lumps. They were hard and did not move. My Grandmother died from bc when I was 5 yrs old (a long time ago ...before there was chemo and they had cobalt). We are the only 2 in the family with bc. Both lumps were about the same size as yours. One in each breast but 12 years apart.
Sharon
Nov 22, 2007 03:23 PM nash wrote:
I found my lump. It didn't show well on mammo, but I have lobular cancer, which tends to only show well on MRI. My lump was very hard and immobile, and I had no doubt that it was malignant. My mom has bc (post-menopausal), and there is an extremely strong family history of other cancers.
The fact that your lump is mobile is encouraging. It may be a fibroadenoma.
Sorry about your mom and sister's diagnoses. Hoping for benign results for you!
Nov 22, 2007 03:58 PM Isabella4 wrote:
My lump was 1.7mm, and was picked up on my mammogram, 4 years ago.
I DID do self exams reasonably regularly, but felt nothing.
I was so paralized with fear that I just could not bring myself to feel it myself at all. I never touched it in the EIGHT fricking weeks I had to wait for mastectomy. My DH says it felt firm, and free.
Isabella.
Nov 22, 2007 04:32 PM JapanLynn wrote:
My lump was one cm., but couldn't be felt. It was picked up during a routine mammo/ultrasound, and the rest, as they say, was history.
Lynn
Nov 22, 2007 05:07 PM Beesie wrote:
I've had lots of lumps. Most were firm, round or oval and quite distinct, and most grew quickly. Some were moveable, some less so. None were breast cancer. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, there was no lump or even any unusual thickening of the breast tissue. Like many women, my breast cancer appeared as microscopic calcifications on my mammogram. There was nothing outwardly to indicate a problem. Thankfully though, the calcifications were visible on my mammogram.
Nov 22, 2007 06:15 PM, edited Nov 22, 2007 06:25 PM by geebung
I had lots of cysts in my breasts during my 40s and I couldn't feel any of them. I had yearly mammograms and u/s. This made me stop doing self exams because it seemed pointless (silly reaction I know). When I was dx in Feb this year via mammo, there was no palpable lump but, like Beesie, I had microcalcifications. I now check my remaining breast frequently.
Gscott, 80% of lumps are benign but I think all should be checked out for your health's sake and peace of mind. Hoping for a totally benign result for you.
gb
Nov 22, 2007 06:58 PM SLH wrote:
Hi gscott,
Over the years I'd had 3 lumps I could feel, that turned out benign. The last one was HUGE, about 1" across, and grew quickly. Because of it, I had a higher resolution mammogram, and they could see that it was a fluid-filled cyst that they easily aspirated by drawing the fluid out with a needle.
But the high res also picked up a spot on the outer edge of my other breast that turned out to be a stage 1 ILC. The year before my sister had bc, and my mom has ovarian c.
It sounds like yours might be a cyst. But with your family history, stay vigilant!
sally
Nov 23, 2007 03:53 AM, edited Nov 23, 2007 03:57 AM by Mazy1959
Hi gscott,
My lump was hard, movable and hurt. It was 3.2 cm. It felt like I had been hit in the breast. The lump showed up suddenly..my onc says this is common. It did not show on the mammogram I had 5 months earlier probly due to mine being lobular. FYI my onc and surgeon told me that just because a tumor moves is not an indication to them that its not cancer. It only means that it probably has not attached anywhere else yet. Hope you have good results..Mazy
Nov 23, 2007 04:11 AM kagaines wrote:
1. Did you find your lump on your own or did a mammogram pick it up? I found it, not at the age where mams are the norm yet.
2. Please describe to me what exactly your lump felt like to you or your doctor. It was firm and didn't move...and there wasn't one in the opposite breast either.
3. Is there a family history? Not in the immediate family, I was the first. I had a paternal aunt that had it years ago but that was it as far as I know.
Nov 23, 2007 09:08 AM cp418 wrote:
I had just visited my gyn and had been given the all clear (age 49). Next I scheduled my mammogram and the 1.8 cm lump was found. I do regular BSE but gyn, surgeon, radiologist, onologist and myself were unable to feel it. I have small breasts too but it was deep. No family hx so I am the first although I did have a fibroadenoma removed at age 19. I guess that was the first clue to the future plus moderately dense breasts.
Nov 24, 2007 02:06 PM Determined1 wrote:
Hi gscott,
Found my own lump (3 weeks after mammogram said "all clear").
Lump was harder than other lumps in my breasts (I have very lumpy breasts), and it was immobile, whereas my other lumps can be manipulated.
My mom had thyroid cancer and my sister had Hodgkins Lymphoma--I was the first w/bc anywhere in my family.
I echo others here--have it checked out--just in case. Early detection is always best. Let us know how it goes.
D1
Nov 24, 2007 03:04 PM Calico wrote:
Mine was like half a uncooked rice grain under my nipple.
Nov 24, 2007 10:09 PM Linkimgin wrote:
My lump felt like something totally different that any other tissue in my breasts. I found my lump. Stage II ductal carcinoma, 2.3 cm, high grade tumor.
My lump felt hard, slightly movable, oblong. I knew right away that it was breast cancer.
Nov 25, 2007 10:05 AM TerryNY wrote:
I found my lump myself as I wasn't due for a mammo yet, having had one just 9 months before and got the all clear. It was big (well, to me!) and hard, about a small marble size and did not move.
My GYN PA felt it and said it had irregular borders which is not a good sign so she sent me for mammos and US and it clearly showed up then.
I have a family history, twin sister, two cousins and maternal grandmother all had breast cancer. I'm considering genetic testing soon.
Dec 2, 2007 06:20 AM flash wrote:
found my lump during breast exam. IDC went from pea to 1 inch in 10weeks. needless to say it (and others) were removed with a mast.
so much for all those mammograms.
Dec 7, 2007 03:09 PM Believer0711 wrote:
My lump felt like thickening of tissues about 2-3 cm from nipple. I never felt this lump until after the mammogram and biopsy though, so I'm really confused what it is. My doctor said it is 5 cm and malignant.
Dec 7, 2007 03:40 PM LisaSDCA wrote:
I felt my lump, but didn't worry over it. I thought it was part of my pectoralis muscle under my breast fat. It was right there, high at 12 o'clock, it moved when I flexed. I had been getting mammograms since the age of 29 because of my sister's diagnosis at that age. Then I had been advised that yearly mamos were excessive, especially with clinical and self-exams regularly. I was denied genetic testing. My age 47 mammo. was 'clear', but I have dense breasts. My age 49 mammogram, even I could see from across the room had an unmistakable lesion visible on the film.
My tumor felt like dense muscle, but slightly rounded and ovoid. Slightly moveable the way a tensed muscle is moveable. When found it was 2cm, by the time it came out in 3 weeks, it had grown to 2.6cm (rapidly growing) My second lump, same breast, was too deep to palpate. Measured by mam. and ultrasound at .5cm, by excision had grown to .65cm.
Family history - Only my elder sister was known. But hers was at 29, estrogen neg. and highly aggressive. Mine was premenopausal, multi-focal and triple neg. Through research we were able to discern that my paternal great-great-grandmother, my great-grandmother, and two of her sisters had died at 35, 33, 31 and 33 when the men were living to 87 and 90. Then there were two generations of only sons born. Then my sister. Finally got genetic testing. BRCA-1 positive
Lisa
Dec 8, 2007 09:42 AM Curlylocks wrote:
Hi gscott,
1. Did you find your lump on your own or did a mammogram pick it up? I found my 4 cm lump myself after it not showing up on mamogram 13 months earlier!
2. Please describe to me what exactly your lump felt like to you or your doctor. The lump felt as hard as a rock to me and I knew it was cancer in my heart before being diagnosed....
3. Is there a family history? My aunt had bc at age 60 other than that no famiy history of bc but lots of other cancers.
Michele
Dec 9, 2007 01:42 PM Laurita wrote:
1. Did you find your lump on your own or did a mammogram pick it up? - Found it on my own on the outer, upper side of my breast, not even intending to do a self-exam.
2. Please describe to me what exactly your lump felt like to you or your doctor. - It felt about the size and shape of a green grape. It was hard, and mobile. Afterwards, it grew quickly. I could note and feel the difference. When they took it out three months later it was 3.2 cm
3. Is there a family history? NONE in immediate family. My paternal grandfather had pancreatic or liver cancer and I believe one of my paternal aunts died from a cancer, not sure which.
Dec 9, 2007 06:06 PM, edited Dec 9, 2007 06:07 PM by Cin56
I found my lump while showering. It was the size of a dime. It was kinda oval and smooth. It became tender. After steriotactic bx, it inflammed and grew to 3-5 centimeters, in just weeks. After finding it, I had a mamm and SOMETHING was visible. The card they sent me in the mail said that there were some findings on the mamm that needed further investigation but "...findings such as these are normally not cancer (benign)." There was no family hx of bc, but lots of family hx for colon cancer and ovarian cancer, which is in the same gene pool.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where is the cure???
Dec 10, 2007 08:28 PM, edited Jul 5, 2010 11:35 PM by Maire67
Dec 11, 2007 03:59 AM JennKeisner wrote:
I found my lump accidentally while sitting at the dinner table. It was the size of a golf ball. I had never had a mamogram because I was only 32 at the time. I don't remember if it moved but I do not think so. It was very hard though.
Jun 24, 2009 06:03 PM MJLToday wrote:
Mind felt like a grape in a bowl full of jello :lol.
And I had mild needle-like /throbbing pain. Must have been pinching a nerve or something.
Jun 24, 2009 10:55 PM lifegoeson wrote:
Mine was very large, and grew really quickly and the breast was reddened where the lump was. I also had bloody discharge from my nipple. The whole breast hurt. I've had lots of lumps before and they were all benign but I knew this was different.
My grandmother had breast cancer with a radical mastectomy years ago, and lived to be 100. My 2 aunts on my mother's side died of BC. My cousin had BC and a mastectomy 2 years ago and is doing well. My mother had melanoma and is doing well. Another cousin died of lymphoma, and my uncle died from metastatic CA (not sure of the origin). We've got some CA genes in the family but I'm hoping to beat my grandmother's 100 years.
Jun 25, 2009 02:56 AM jewlls wrote:
1. Did you find your lump on your own or did a mammogram pick it up?
I found it myself as was too young for mamogram
2. Please describe to me what exactly your lump felt like to you or your doctor.
abt 2-3cm hard and moveable
3. Is there a family history?
no im first n family to have BC
Jun 25, 2009 03:00 AM WendyInCalif wrote:
My lump developed a few centimeters from a prior benign biopsy. In fact, I thought it was scar tissue. It was oblong, rubbery and tender to deep palpation. In fact, my little dog jumped on my chest while playing on the bed with me, hit the area, and the pain was excruciating. Yep, oblong, rubbery and painful.
Jun 30, 2009 05:07 AM Brenda_R wrote:
Mine felt like a piece of smooth plastic, hard and smooth. Non movable, not tender at first. It was 2 inches long and about an inch wide. After biopsy it felt lumpy and knotty, then seemed to grow rapidly back to the original proportions in the 2 weeks before surgery. Then it also became tender and uncomfortable. It ended up being 3.7cm with sattelite nodules extending out from it.
I'd had a clear mammo just 6 months prior, and I don't think it was there then. Nothing could be seen on that mammo, but the it clearly showed on the one done just before biopsy.
Jun 30, 2009 11:33 AM fortunate1 wrote:
I found the lump myself. A mammogram 9 months before, and one after I felt the lump, showed nothing. My breasts are dense and lumpy, so I had always figured that mammograms would have to determine what was what. Definitely not so.
It felt like a bean, quite firm and slightly movable, a lucky thing with lobular BC.
There is no BC history in my family.
Jun 30, 2009 05:07 PM nelia48 wrote:
I found my lump myself, it was hard, not moveable. Pea sized. Didn't go for mammogram or treatment for about 7 years afterwards, so it was VERY large by that time.
No breast cancer in my family, but lots of other types of cancers.
Jun 30, 2009 05:31 PM Leah_S wrote:
I found the lump myself. It was measured on US at about 1.4 cm; after mast was measured in pathology as 1.6 cm. It did not show up on the mammo I had ten months before found it, nor did it show up on the mammo I had afterwards, the same day it showed on the US. Mammos are supposed to be 90% accurate - I was in the other 10%.
Leah