Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 4/22/2011

Question
I am a 30 year old female and my doctor found a lump in my right breast in November of '10. I had only a screening mammo, four shots. The result was negative, breast tissue thickening the final result. I have had tender, sore breasts for a month and woke up with a wet ring on my shirt around my nipple area, right side. I did a self exam and found the right breast to be grainy with a pea sized lump in my areola and a grainy, rubbery lump in my armpit where the cut between pec and bicep used to be. In my left breast I found yet another lump just below my nipple that extends down and it is like a small pickle or sausage in shape. Both areoles have dimpling, the bumps of my left one seeming to extend beyond the darkened border, making the areola seem cone shaped instead of round.
I am on birth control, have had two children and took an over the counter pregnancy test with a negative result. My periods are irregular since I just stopped the depo shot in favor of the pill due to weight gain.

I recently moved and need a new doctor. The soonest I can be seen at the one I called is 05/10/2011. My question is whether or not I should call around to get an appointment sooner. I have cancer survivors and succumbers in my family, quite a few of them being young. My older sister at 31 was diagnosed with pagets disease of the nipple with stage 2 and 3 tumors in both breasts. The sore on her breast went two years misdiagnosed because of her age. I don't want that to be me and with these new lumps coming so soon after a mammo I fear I will be.

Did my doctor do me a disservice by only ordering a screening mammo? I was so relieved to get that negative result and to have new lumps forming scares the cookies out of me.

Thank you,
Julie

Answer
The description you give me more points in the direction of a fibrocystic breast condition than a breast cancer. But with this family history everything has to be taken seriously. So in your case regular breast examinations - starting now - should include mammography, ultrasound breast scans, MRI breast scans and at least needle biopsies of any and every unclear lesion seen! However a waiting time until May 10 is not that important. The main thing is that the investigation is complete. Good luck!



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