Hello doctor, I am 31 years old. No family history of breast cancer. I have never been pregnant and never used a contraceptive. Before two years, I felt a breast lump (breast cyst-did does not disappear with aspiration. Aspirate was straw-colored). Got it out a year later. Biopsy showed fibrocystic breast disease with adenosis. As soon as the inflammation subsided, like a month after, I noticed a mass in that same location with the same consistency, firm, mobile. I guessed it was the same cyst, perhaps a recollection. Did the surgery six months later with the mass sent to another pathologist and the biopsy result was the same. Fibrocystic breast disease with adenosis. Two months postoperatively, same location, another one, mobile, firm, and sometimes tender. Increasing in size. No nipple discharge but disturbing. Plus now, I have a nasty scar. I should do a Mammo, but the breast is dense and standing. I feel it would be extremely painful.
Hello. I completely understand how you feel. Let me start by saying that a majority of breast cysts are not malicious, and unfortunately, they do have a tendency to keep coming back. Numerous women leave them as it is and stay on regular follow up to keep an eye on the size and other changes of clinical importance. As far as a mammogram is concerned, it is not as painful as you think it is. There are other alternatives like - Ultrasonography, MRI. I would also like to point out, that post-surgery, there is always going to be some edema which will subside with time. The key is to differentiate it from more malicious lumps. I have a few questions for you, 1. Is the lump painful? 2. Is it freely mobile? 3. Is it increasingly on size quickly or slowly? 4. Do you have any other symptoms? Like weight loss, backache, headache, anorexia?