Did you have pain before you found out you had breast cancer?!
Question: describe it.. one breast,both constant,,intermittent..dull...excrusiat... old were you? Im asking because im 25 and have had a constant pain that i can pinpoint for over 4 months now..dotors and test cant find a cause.
Answers: describe it.. one breast,both constant,,intermittent..dull...excrusiat... old were you? Im asking because im 25 and have had a constant pain that i can pinpoint for over 4 months now..dotors and test cant find a cause.
Breast lumps in general
The first symptom of breast cancer for many women is a lump in their breast. But 9 out of 10 breast lumps (90%) are benign. That means they are not cancers. Most benign breast lumps are
Areas of benign breast change, causing lumpiness that is more obvious just before a period, particularly in women over 35
Cysts - sacs of fluid in the breast tissue. These are quite common
Fibroadenoma - a collection of fibrous glandular tissue. These are more common in younger women
What to look out for
Changes that could be due to a breast cancer are
A lump or thickening in an area of the breast
A change in the size or shape of a breast
Dimpling of the skin
A change in the shape of your nipple, particularly if it turns in, sinks into the breast or becomes irregular in shape
A blood-stained discharge from the nipple
A rash on a nipple or surrounding area
A swelling or lump in your armpit
Like breast lumps, these signs don't necessarily mean cancer. Inverted nipples, blood stained nipple discharge or a rash can all be due to other medical conditions. But if any of these things happen to you, you should get it checked out. It may be nothing and seeing the GP will put your mind at rest. It may be a benign condition that can easily be treated. Or at the very worst, if you have a cancer you give yourself the best chance of successful treatment by going to the doctor early on.
There is a rare type of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer which can have different symptoms. The whole breast can look red and inflamed and can be very sore. The breast may feel hard. The skin sometimes looks like orange peel because the pores stand out in the inflamed area.
Another rare type of breast cancer shows up as a rash on and around the nipple. It is called Paget's disease. The red, scaly rash can be itchy. It looks a bit like eczema and is sometimes mistaken for that at first.
If you spot a lump
See your doctor straight away. If you notice anything unusual about your breast, have it examined. Even though most breast lumps are benign, they need to be checked to rule out cancer. Our page on breast awareness shows how to learn what is normal for you.
Your doctor will examine you and if necessary, send you to a specialist breast clinic for further checks. At the clinic, they will be able to see on your mammogram or ultrasound if the lump is a fluid-filled cyst or a solid lump.
If it is a cyst, they may get rid of it by draining the fluid out through a fine needle. If it is a solid lump, they will stick a very fine needle into it and take a tissue sample to test for cancer cells.
Some women prefer to have benign lumps removed to relieve their worry. They may be concerned that they will confuse them with any other lumps they may get in the future. But if you and your doctor are confident that the lump is benign, you do not have to have it removed if you do not want to. Benign lumps don't turn into cancer.
If your lump is a cancer, the earlier you have breast cancer treatment, the better your chance of cure.
Is pain a symptom?
Pain doesn't usually mean cancer. Many healthy women find that their breasts feel lumpy and tender before a period. And some benign breast lumps are painful. Many women get pain in their breasts for a while, which goes after a time. There may be no obvious reason for the pain, even with lots of tests. Most breast pain is not caused by cancer, but some breast cancers do cause pain, so if you are worried, see your GP.
Everything I've read says that the lump is usually painless, but there is something called inflamatory breast cancer, which is different.
It could be something a simple as a swollen lymphnode, or an inflamed duct or something. It's probably noting serious, but if you're worried go see a different doctor. No one cares about your health as much as you, so don't stop until you have an answer.
Pain in that area can be from a bunch of different things. Cancer is not usually painful. however, swelling from an enlarged lymph node (could still be cancerous,) swelling of the cartilage in your chest, swelling of the lining of your lungs or heart, a venous problem, etc. can cause pain. Fibromyalgia, lupus, and stress are even possibilities! I'm assuming you've had a mammogram, right? You should also have a chest xray and an EKG to rule out heart probs first of all. Then the diagnostic tests run the gambit. A CAT scan, MRI, Venous Doppler (to check to make sure you don't have a semi clogged artery or vein) stress tests, etc.......If you're in pain, don't let the docs send you home with a painkiller prescription and a lollipop. Go get a second opinion and a third if you need it! i hope you find someone who can help you!
39 when diagnosed & I had absolutely no pain to speak of. The only noticable difference was that I could tell my hormones were out of control. Good luck & God Bless!
I was diagnose with breast cancer when I was 45. A regular mammogram showed a suspicious spot. There was no pain. I was told there was only a 3% chance that it would be malignant. It was malignant and I had surgery.
Ten years later, I noticed a slight dent in the other breast. It looked like a dimple. It was not painful. A mammogram showed something very very tiny. It was so small that they could hardly find it to put the needle through for surgery. It too was malignant.
I do thank the LORD that HE did not bless women with as many breasts as HE did the dogs. I would hate to know I would have that to go through 8 more times.
GOD is good.
Yes I did, I had a lump that became increasingly painful and itchy. I was diagnosed at 50.
It's unusual but of course not unheard of to get breast cancer at your age.
As your pain has gone on for so long you really need to see a doctor again; be a difficult patient and insist, get a second opinion - you really need to have your mind set at rest. What tests have they done already?
I hope you don't have this worry for much longer, good luck
Hi,
I'm a male but yes I actually have breast cancer which has spread to the bones and 9 lymph nodes tested postitive when they yanked out the tumor about 20 months ago (doesn't seem that long lol). But to answer your question no I didn't feel any pain . I first noticed the pebble sized lump in the summer of 1999 and finally got around (long story) to getting it diagnosed in Oct 2005. By then I had a 7.5 inch tumor. Chemo and Radiation shrunk it to a "yanking out" size of about 4 inches and I had a radical mastectomy (remember I'm a guy so that was new to me that they did those things). I hope you and your doctors find a solution (and hope it's non cancerous). Best wishes. By the way I was 39 when i first noticed it, almost 45 when I got it diagnosed and though it wasn't painful it did itch, every 6 months at first then near the end it itched several times a day.
they say no, but when i was 48 i kept having sharp pains in my left breast right where the underwire of my bra ended at the side of breast i had 2 mamograms and 1 showed the very beginings of cancer,it was so small they found it hard to find. so my suggestion to you is to get another mamogram from a different place. good luck and if it turns out that you do have a lump get it out quick do the therapy and have a very possitive attitude.by the way i'm now 55 and healthy