help....should i be scared? - Cancer: Breast Message Board

ladybug8372 · 03-06-2005, 08:45 PM

i am 32 years old. i have had cysts in my breasts for a good 10 years or so. once in a while, they flare up, but in a day or two, all is fine. so, i am familiar with breast cyst pain, the soreness feeling. ok, for about a month or so, my left breast has been hurting...(not the soreness feeling that is normally felt with cyst pain) it doesnt hurt to press on the breast anywhere...but its a constant hurt, makes me want to rip it off! its an achy, painful hurt...not sharp pains, or soreness..i dont know how else to describe it. the nipple area sometimes feels full, sometimes feels bruised, not to the touch..but when lifting my arm or something...like maybe a pulled muscle type feeling. (only way i know how to describe the feeling)

anyhow, i went for my first mammogram friday, for this very reason (i told them while making the appt that my left breast hurt)...knowing i had cysts, i asked the technician if she could also do an ultrasound...and she told me that they only do ultrasounds if they see something suspicious. well, they done 2 x-rays on the right breast, and all together 4 on the left..making me think they saw something....then she came back and said they would be doing the ultrasound. I am puzzled..because of course, they wouldnt tell me anything,....did they do the extra x-rays because they seen something, or as a precaution because of my complaints??...did they do the ultrasound just to be certain that there was nothing...since i am complaining with it??? i just dont know what to think. i am scared of them telling me that its something bad...but then again....i have no other symptoms of breast cancer...no discharge, no size change...nothing but the pain and the cysts.

the radiologist was supposed to read my reports that same day, and told me that they would send the reports to my family dr...and that the family dr would be the one to tell me the results...that i should hear something by tuesday. well, i have survived the wait this long....but tuesday seems so far away....to be so near...and this is really driving me out of my mind.

the only history of breast cancer in my family is....my first cousin on my moms side....found after age 50....was cured after radiation and chemo....but just found out last week that she has cancer of the liver.
also, my aunt on my dads side had breast cancer late last year...she is in her 60's.

can anyone tell me if this sounds like possible cancer or not??

Zerberbaby · 03-06-2005, 10:13 PM

Since no one knows what was on the films but the radiologist it would be unfair for anyone to speculate about what was found on them.

I can tell you from personal experience that cysts can be cancerous. The only way to know for sure what is there is to have a biopsy done. Again, I am talking from personal experience here since I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer...but everyone saw only cysts on the ultrasound and a biopsy was done "just to be one the safe side".

Call your doctor Monday morning...if the films have already been read he can find out what the report states even if the "formal" report has not been typed out yet. Find a reputable surgeon and have a full mass biopsy done...this is done under general anesthesia and does leave a scar...but it is the best possible way to fully rule out cancer.

My personal belief, and my surgeon concurred, is that by doing a "needle biopsy" you are opening yourself up to spreading possible cancer cells thru out your body via the blood stream. Needle type biopsy will also take longer to get results and if the surgeon is not happy with the results you will have to have a full mass excision anyway...this will just lengthen the amount of time that you are upset and worrying...possibly for nothing.

In my case I had breast pain that I just associated with early menopause and like you I had no way to describe it really well. I now know it was were cancer had enmeshed my lymphnodes and was pressing on nerves that was causing the pain and discomfort.

If it will easy your mind however, breast cancer is usually not painful and gives little or no indication until a lump can be felt...which is why you should have your mammogram every year even though you feel fine.

A side note ladies...my cancer did not show on a mammogram however, only as a cyst on the ultrasound. If you have the opportunity I would suggest that women have at least an ultrasound (generally a statement of "breast pain" will let your insurance pay for this) and if possible an MRI of the breasts and chest wall (this is however a very expensive test and you may have difficulty getting insurance to cover it on a yearly basis) since either of these tests give additional clear views of the breast tissue and in the case of the MRI a VERY good picture of exactly what is in the breast.

Try to stay calm and give your doc a call. If he does not like something about your films then by all means do not "wait and see" for a few months if there are any changes. Make an appointment with the surgeon for a breast mass excision and then you will know what is going on in relatively short order...then you can move forward with your life.

Good Luck!