I am 31 years old, no history of breast
cancer or lymphoma in my family. I felt a
lump under my armpit and immediately went
to my doctor. He sent me for a mammogram
and ultrasound and to a surgeon.
The mammogram and ultrasound both came
back negative. The surgeon felt the lump,
did another ultrasound and told me it
would probably go away, and that it did
not look like cancer. Three months later
it is still here and my insurance company
approved me for an MRI (after the surgeon
wrote a prescription for it). The MRI came
back negative, no sign of cancer.
The surgeon says with all those tests it
is probably not cancer, but we could do a
biopsy just to see what it is. Should I
get a biopsy? I don't want to have a bunch
of unnecessary tests but I do want to
figure out what this thing under my armpit
is. What else could it be, if not cancer?
I doubt a swollen lymph node would be
around this long (3 months)...right?
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MandMs
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Re: Lump Under Armpit Posted: 08-20-07 05:18am
caseyk
wrote:
I am 31 years old, no
history of breast cancer or lymphoma in my
family. I felt a lump under my armpit and
immediately went to my doctor. He sent me
for a mammogram and ultrasound and to a
surgeon.
The mammogram and ultrasound both came
back negative. The surgeon felt the lump,
did another ultrasound and told me it
would probably go away, and that it did
not look like cancer. Three months later
it is still here and my insurance company
approved me for an MRI (after the surgeon
wrote a prescription for it). The MRI came
back negative, no sign of cancer.
The surgeon says with all those tests it
is probably not cancer, but we could do a
biopsy just to see what it is. Should I
get a biopsy? I don't want to have a bunch
of unnecessary tests but I do want to
figure out what this thing under my armpit
is. What else could it be, if not cancer?
I doubt a swollen lymph node would be
around this long (3
months)...right?
Usually, infections are the main reason
for swollen lymph node. Even trivial and
inapparent infections can cause it. If
your node is soft and tender is probably
some infection, but if it's hard,
unmovable, non-tender then you should be
more concerned. Also, you need to be aware
that sometimes breast cancer can enlarge
the armpit lymph nodes even when the
breast itself seems perfectly normal. The
biopsy has the last word and it'll ease
your mind. So, please, don't wait. Take
that test and you'll know for sure.
