Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 2/19/2007

Question
I'm 22 years old with a large lump in my breast.  Its harder to feel when I push down on my breast towards my chest, but very obvious if I pinch my whole breast (when sitting or standing, not laying down)...its about 1" diameter and 1.5-2" long from what I can feel (though that might include some surrounding tissues and such) and very hard.  The truly unfortunate part is I am uninsured and can not afford a mammogram, but cannot get a free one through special breast cancer "clinics" because I am "too young to have breast cancer"...although my Grandma had a mastectomy (though I don't know when).  The other thing is that I have my nipples pierced, and though I don't know how long the lump has been there (at least 2 years now without changing size for sure), it wasn't noticed until AFTER the nipple was pierced.  I have heard that nipple piercing can cause clogs in the milk ducts and cause lumps.  Is this true?  Anything I should worry about or am I "too young"??

Answer
While it is not impossible to have a breast cancer at your age it is very improbable. However with a family history of breast cancer like you seem to have I think those clinics should be less certain of themselves and let you have the full examination (you can tell them what I have just said). Anyway if you have felt this thing without any change for a couple of years it is probably not a cancer though without an examination I can not tell you what it is. Nipple piercing may perhaps cause benign breast masses but it does not cause breast cancer. But I'm an expert on breast cancer not breast effects of nipple piercing so I can not tell you more on that. Again, insurance or no insurance I still think that you should have your breasts examined even if that examination only will show - which is the probable outcome - that there is no cancer there! Good luck!