I have a lump under my skin just under my rib cage. I've had it for 6 years but have never got it checked out and I'm afraid that it could be cancer. It is quite hard but movable.It has grown slightly over the years and is a little bigger than a pea. A year ago my blood pressure showed up high and I had blood tests,chest x-ray and ecg done but nothing showed up. Is high blood pressure related to cancer? There is no history of cancer in my family and I am 25 years old. Any information appreciated.
I have a lump under my skin just under my rib cage. I've had it for 6 years but have never got it checked out and I'm afraid that it could be cancer. It is quite hard but movable.It has grown slightly over the years and is a little bigger than a pea. A year ago my blood pressure showed up high and I had blood tests,chest x-ray and ecg done but nothing showed up. Is high blood pressure related to cancer? There is no history of cancer in my family and I am 25 years old. Any information appreciated.
The lump is probably a cyst of some sort: the human body does many things like that. Your high blood pressure is likely not related to cancer, but it is a serious health condition on its own. You should monitor your blood pressure closely, watch your salt intake, eat a heart-healthy diet, quit smoking if you smoke and/or end any chronic exposure to second-hand smoke you may have, lose weight if you're overweight, control stress, try meditation, and exercise regularly. High blood pressure can also be caused/worsened by anxiety. Educate yourself about how to manage high blood pressure and exercise regularly: you should be fine.
If you don't have a primary care physician, you should get one. A primary care physician will check out your lump and may drain/remove it if it is a cyst, which should put your mind at ease, there.
Thanks for the reply. Would the fact that I have the lump so long mean that is not cancer i.e how long does it take before you get sick after discovering a malignant lump.
Thanks for the reply. Would the fact that I have the lump so long mean that is not cancer i.e how long does it take before you get sick after discovering a malignant lump.
That's not something I can really answer. Some malignancies are very slow-growing. Some can metasticize with little symptomology, and do so quickly. My mother has stage IIIc endometrial cancer, with involvement in her lymph nodes and abdominal wall, and she had no symptoms, whatsoever.
I think the location - just under the skin, where a variety of benign growths from sebaceous cysts to lipomas occur - is a good sign. You should still see your doctor, and you shouldn't put off seeing your doctor for fear that something is cancer. If it is, the sooner diagnosed, the better. If not, at least you've spared yourself the worry. Still, jumping to the conclusion that you have cancer is probably not good for long-term mental health. See your doctor and get something done about that high blood pressure, too.
Wow, you guys are freaking me out because I, too, have a small bump on my lower left side, actually kind of in or on the lowest rib. I just had a physical, complete with bloodwork done, and nothing came back. Sometimes I get a dull ache in that area, and I initially thought it might be a hernia. My doctor wasn't interested in it when I asked her about it. My question is, would cancer show up in the blood tests?
Wow, you guys are freaking me out because I, too, have a small bump on my lower left side, actually kind of in or on the lowest rib. I just had a physical, complete with bloodwork done, and nothing came back. Sometimes I get a dull ache in that area, and I initially thought it might be a hernia. My doctor wasn't interested in it when I asked her about it. My question is, would cancer show up in the blood tests?
groovychicky:
Don't be freaked out. Actually, you should feel the opposite: the lump is most likely perfectly benign, especially if your physician was not concerned about it. You could be mistaking connective tissue and/or fatty tissue for a lump, or you could have a cyst of some sort, etc. As for cancer and blood tests: some types of cancers have specific markers that may show up in the blood if the physician tests for them. Others don't. The blood tests are a way to gauge the possibility if cancer is suspect, and clinical correlation is always necessary. The dull ache could be anything, including your imagination. If you weren't reassured by your physician and are still concerned and/or anxious about your lump, ask her about it again and explain that its presence is a real concern to you. Honestly, it's most likely nothing.
Yes, you helped ease my worries a lot--thank you! When I mentioned that my doctor wasn't interested, I meant that she kind of poo-poo'ed my complaint. She never even felt the area to see if I was imagining a lump. She told me it couldn't possibly be a hernia because "the only thing over there is your intestines." She has horrible bedside manners, so I will be searching for another doctor. I notice the ache is usually when I eat something, so I do think I'll get a new doctor to check it out.
That's not something I can really answer. Some malignancies are very slow-growing. Some can metasticize with little symptomology, and do so quickly. My mother has stage IIIc endometrial cancer, with involvement in her lymph nodes and abdominal wall, and she had no symptoms, whatsoever.
I think the location - just under the skin, where a variety of benign growths from sebaceous cysts to lipomas occur - is a good sign. You should still see your doctor, and you shouldn't put off seeing your doctor for fear that something is cancer. If it is, the sooner diagnosed, the better. If not, at least you've spared yourself the worry. Still, jumping to the conclusion that you have cancer is probably not good for long-term mental health. See your doctor and get something done about that high blood pressure, too.
Good luck!
Thanks for the advice. Went to see a doctor today. Was very anxious about seeing a doctor but I feel much better now. I think that not knowing is nearly worst than knowing that you have cancer. He said the lump is most likely a cyst but I have to get blood tests done on it. Anyone know what can be found from doing blood tests. I had blood tests don't before and nothing showed up in them. I thought a biopsy was the only way to know for definate if a lump is cancerous.
To 100% sure a biopsy is the proven method. Also a PET scan is pretty useful. Blood test such as CA 19-9, CA-50, CEA.. are not useful in detecting cancer...most of the time they are useful in monitoring patients already diagnosed. There are more than a few tumor markers they do from blood but as I said...useful when used in conjunction with other tests such as MRI, CAT scans, Ultrasounds, and biopsy.
Got the result of the the blood tests and everything showed up normal. Is this sufficient to indicate that a lump is not malignant or should further tests be carried out.
Getting this lump removed under local anesthetic this week. I have some blood tests done which showed up normal. The surgeon said it was nothing serious, probably a sebaceous cyst. I'm still not convinced though as the lunp is quite hard. Would the lump be tested once it is removed for cancer cells or will the surgeon know when it is removed what sort of a cyst it is?
Sebaceous cysts can feel quite hard, depending on their location. In any case, the surgeon will be able to make a good guess after removing the lump, but he will also send the lump to a pathology lab for evaluation by a pathologist.
Sebaceous cysts can feel quite hard, depending on their location. In any case, the surgeon will be able to make a good guess after removing the lump, but he will also send the lump to a pathology lab for evaluation by a pathologist.
Had this lump removed last week. The surgeon said it would be sent to the lab for tests as this was routine. Will these tests tell for definate if the lump is cancerous or not or will further tests be required.
Had this lump removed last week. The surgeon said it would be sent to the lab for tests as this was routine. Will these tests tell for definate if the lump is cancerous or not or will further tests be required.
I'm glad you had this done, I'm sure you're relieved. Yes: the pathology report will determine whether or not the lump was cancerous. You can ask your surgeon for a copy of the pathology report when it comes in, if you like.
I'm glad you had this done, I'm sure you're relieved. Yes: the pathology report will determine whether or not the lump was cancerous. You can ask your surgeon for a copy of the pathology report when it comes in, if you like.
Got the results and the surgeon said it was a fatty limpoma and nothing to worry about. A big relief. Thanks for all your advice. God bless.
