Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 6/28/2007

Question
QUESTION: started a lot of pain in right side of neck and shoulder and can hardly lift my right arm and i have a lump under my arm its not sore to touch just hurts when i wash underarm or reach overhead,have had a mamo last year October and another one in January and there is a cyst in the 9,o'clock region,and I might add I have lost 46lbs.since October, Do you think I should be concerned of Breast cancer,or lymphoma.Scheludeed for another mamo in September should I wait till then or ask Doctor to persue more further?
ANSWER: Your shoulder problems most probably have nothing to do with your breast findings that sound rather harmless to me. Your weight loss and the lump under your arm are another matter as are your shoulder problems - probably 2 separate problems! I therefore urge you to let a dr. check you and if necessary have a biopsy taken from the lump ASAP!


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QUESTION: Can you explain to me what 9,o'clock region means?
I know it means location but where,Is it my arm pit region where I am having problems with the lump?also went to a surgical to do a biopsy he said no cause for a biopsy nothing to draw from he said he was not the nodes but a mass should I still be concerned that it could be cancer, I just need to know something, been dealing with this since last August, Thank so much.
ANSWER: If you imagine seeing your arm pit right in front of you the 9 o'clock region is where the 9 is on the face of a clock. Since I have not examined you myself I can not say if a biopsy should be made from your lump or not which is why I wrote "if necessary" in my first reply. However your dr. may be thinking of a surgical biopsy. I was mostly thinking of a thin needle aspiration biopsy which is MUCH easier and simpler to do, but not available everywhere. I have no idea if it is where you live. Such a needle biopsy could easily tell you if it is cancer or not. You can always get a second opinion! Good luck!


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QUESTION: ok I just had a breast mri with gadolinium and the radiologist called when i was coming in the door says that all the right side where i have been having problems lit up on that side and now wants me to come back in this Monday for rescan something about maybe a false/postive results something to do with been hormonal? why is that and should i worry over this? thanks for all your comments.

Answer
Without knowing exactly what was seen it is impossible for anyone but your dr. (who knows) to answer this. Breast gland tissue is hormonal dependent so you can have hormonal effects anywhere & everywhere there. But again I would need to know exactly what the picture looked like to be able to answer this.