I just found a hard pea size lump under my left breast in the areola. It is the same breast that was diagnosed a few years ago as dense and I had a fatty tumor. I've never felt such a hard lump and was having trouble figuring out if it moves a or not. I don't have any other symptoms like discharge or inverted nipples or dents or itch. I also do not have a family history. I have a mammogram scheduled next week but am going crazy in the mean time!!!! Any help would be appreciated. Thank you Caryn
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Q: Just found a hard, pea size lump under my areola. It is only on my left side.
Answers (1)
4/17/09 5:10pm
Hi Caryn - Could be another fatty tumor, or a particularly dense piece of tissue. Could be a tumor, benign or cancerous. There's just no telling till you get your mammogram, and any further diagnostic tests. About 85% of biopsies show no cancer, so the statistics are on your side.
I'm sure you're very stressed; it's only natural. But all you can do at this point is wait for your mammogram, and the results. (Be sure to tell the radiology tech what you feel, and where, so she can be sure to focus on that area.) In the meantime - try to stay positive, and remember most lumps are NOT cancer. Good luck - PJH
10/ 4/10 3:09pm
I forgot to add one thing. During the US the tech actually measured out a "3 cm lump between 6 and 7".
10/ 4/10 6:51pm
Although the tech may not be able to see anything, the radiologist may notice areas of density or asymmetry on the new film that do not show on the old one. Also radiologists are the doctors who are officially responsible for reading the images, not the techs. Usually you would want to compare mammogram to mammogram, not ultrasound to mammogram. Each type of image picks up specific things.
I don't know too much about how the augmentation affects reading mammograms. At age 44, many women experience cysts in their breasts, and cysts often come and go over the course of a menstrual cycle. Since the lump has only been there two weeks, it's probably safe to watch it for a couple of more weeks to see what happens while the radiologist and your doctor discuss what should happen next. However, if the lump is still there in a couple of weeks, be assertive about getting it diagnosed. (I'm not clear whether you are saying the lump is 3 cm or 6 inches, but either way such a large lump can not be ignored.)
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By Caryn— Last Modified: 10/04/10, First Published: 04/17/09
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Hi. I was wondering if you could weigh in on my situation. I am 44 years old with breast augmentation. Two weeks ago I found a very hard lump under my areola. I went in to see the doctor who told me she felt it was a lump from an implant "ripple". I told her that I've felt ripples before but this was completely different. She acted as if I didn't know what I was talking about. She decided to send me for an ultrasound when she saw I wasn't happy with her "diagnosis". When I got to my appointment I showed two different techs exactly where my lump was but both said they couldn't see anything. I said how can we feel it but not see that it was even a ripple or a cyst. She said she would have the radiologist look at it and perhaps compare to a clear mammogram I had a year and a half ago. If they can't see anything what is there to compare? At this point I want to just tell the doc to do a biopsy. Can I just demand it? As a side note I am paying cash (no insurance) so all these exams are cleaning out my bank account.