Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 4/8/2007

Question
QUESTION:  I have a colorless pea (slightly smaller)  sized bump in the middle
of my chest and another smaller sized bump (half that size) an inch
away. I'm slender and these bumps are in that middle chest rib bone
area not the fleshy breast part of the chest. The bumps are colorless and
under
the skin, no itching, no pain to the touch. You can't see them they are
not raised but you can feel them. I had one of these bumps for a long
time maybe a year, it seemed to be slightly smaller at that time. From
what I know these bumps don't correspond to the symptoms of male
breast
cancer which seems to be bumps or swelling over the fleshy part of the
chest, one side or the other, usually involving the nipple. They don't
seem seem to correspond to skin cancer because that usually involves
discoloration.    What could they be?
ANSWER: There are many possibilities. Impossible to say without an examination. Let a dr. ckeck you!


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: my description is precise
what are some of the many possibilities? Is a form of cancer amongst
these possibilities?

Answer
Just a few examples, lymph nodes, fibromas, neurofibromas, lipomas (benign fat tumors). All these are benign. I doubt that what you have is a cancer, but I can not be sure of that. That is why I'm STRONGLY suggesting that you let a dr. check you! Thin needle aspiration biopsies - or if necessary surgical biopsies - should be able to give you a sure diagnosis! Good luck!