She says the doctor doesn't want to do anything but monitor it. I don't understand why wait when there are so many women dying of breast cancer. Can someone reassure me that this is normal. I'm scared to death about my mother's health.
2007-04-09 04:48:45 · 20 answers · asked by sugarplum 3 in Health ➔ Women's Health
Deeeeep breath. If they just want to monitor it, odds are it is just a cyst or something that may abate with time. If they suspected it might be something else, she would be getting a whole bunch of tests run on her at this point. The fact that they want to wait is a positive thing.
Edit: My mother had a lump on her breast, too. Turned out to be a cyst, which is harmless and doesn't even need to be removed.
2007-04-09 04:52:42 · answer #1 · answered by mikah_smiles 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it's a lump that can be felt, I'd recommend she get a 2nd opinion. A "spot" was found on my mammogram a couple of years ago (couldn't be felt in self exam) and it was monitored for 6 months...but it was very tiny and turned out to be nothing (so far).
Breast cancer has a good rate of "cure" if caught early. If my doc found a lump in my breast, I'd want to know asap if it was cancerous or not...I wouldn't be content watching it to see if it grew or spread (if it did, treatment would be more difficult).
Don't panic as there's a high chance that the lump is harmless...but I do hope your mother decides to talk to someone else about it and not just go with one doctor's opinion...this is too serious of an issue to take a chance with.
I hope all turns out well sweetie...hang in there and support your mom no matter what.
2007-04-09 05:01:16 · answer #2 · answered by . 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mother gets cysts all the time and they are always fine, but she still has to have them check out each and every time. I feel strongly that women should have annual mamograms. If she hasn't had one then now is a good time to start. If a lump shows up on the scan then they will do an ultrasound to get a better look at it. After that then a wait and see attitude is a bit safer because they have seen the lump in detail and have a better idea of what they are dealing with.
With my mom's first cyst they did a needle biopsy to be on the safe side.
Usually these things turn out fine, but I'm a better safe than sorry type person.
2007-04-09 05:04:42 · answer #3 · answered by Rixie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have lumps all the time. I went to the doctor about it and he said that it was a caffeine sensitivity!! How crazy does that sound!! Well I quit caffeine and about a week later, it was gone! I found out later that there are several women in my family with the same problem. I usually steer clear of sodas, but I still get back on them now and then. I always get a lump a week or so afterward and have to go back to water again.
My doctor told me that there are a number of reasons that a woman might have a lump, but it really is best to rule out cancer as soon as possible. I am sure that your mom's doctor knows what he (or she) is doing, but I would encourage her to get a second opinion just to be on the safe side.
Good luck!
2007-04-09 04:55:36 · answer #4 · answered by S B 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mony wome get lumps in their breast. I'm only 16 and 2 months ago I had 3 lumps removed by surgery. the doctor told me it wasn't breast cancer. The were just made of extra fat tissue. I had them for about a year. When I firt went to the doctor they tlod me they could do anything but a sonogram, but they couldn't know for sure what it was untill they took them out. I was lucky i didn't wanit any longer because it could cause breast cancer.
2007-04-09 04:54:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she has been to the doctor and s/he isn't worried then I'm sure you don't need to be. The vast majority of lumps found in the breast are benign. As women get older the sinues in the breast get thicker (they do all over in fact, that's why we get cellulite too) and those sinues can create lumps and swellings. There's lots of other causes of lumps in the breasts as well, a cancerous tumour is least likely.
2007-04-09 04:53:21 · answer #6 · answered by gerrifriend 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if she has had a mamogram , there might be an indication that the lump is not suspicious , many women have lumpy breast tissue, even more so depending on her age, dietary habits, etc and history of breat cancers in her family. he may monitor just a few months
Personally.. I always advise a second opinion .. she may be comfortable with what her Dr says. but for sure if she isn't happy about it, get another opinion
2007-04-09 04:56:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dont worry about it just yet! The doctor wouldnt want to do anything becuase it doesnt feel like a cancer bump.
Bumps can mean anything - most of the time they are just cysts. This also happened to me, it felt defined, i got so scared i raced to the doctor. The doctor told me it was nothing - its gone now.
Rest assured, the doctor knows all - They would have done hundreds of these exams and know what the cancer bump feels like :)
Best of luck :)
2007-04-09 04:54:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be okay to monitor the lump for one menstrual cycle. But if your mom is not cycling anymore (postmenopausal) then she needs to have this evaluated as soon as possible, even if she has to go to another doctor.
She should have a mammogram and an ultrasound and possibly a breast MRI.
It is not normal to wait. Don't be scared because most breast lumps are benign, but women who are postmenopausal who find breast lumps need to have a work-up done.
2007-04-09 06:38:18 · answer #9 · answered by truelori 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the doctor said "monitor it" probably he thinks is nothing to be scared of, women are very prone to have lumps in our breast and most of them are not important....but I would get a second opinion just to stop worrying.
2007-04-09 05:47:42 · answer #10 · answered by usbc s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋