No lump is ever NOTHING!

This is important and none of us should ever forget it!


Henda Salmeron, at the recent American Society of Breast Disease meeting in Dallas, made this statement.  Who knows what would have happened had she listened to the first doctor who told her the lump was "nothing"!  You can see more at her website http://densebreasttissue.net/dense-breast-tissue/.


We had one session on Diagnosis and Evaluation of the Palpable Breast Mass.


In fact, all breast lumps are something and each requires a diagnosis.  8 of 100 self-detected breast lumps are cancer.  The workup required is whatever it takes to make the diagnosis.  Typically, after the patient detects the lump, the physician confirms it and then may order a mammogram.  If the lady has dense breast tissue then 50% of the time the mass may not be "seen" on the mammogram.  The next step often is a targeted ultrasound or sonogram.  Rarely that may not clearly define the mass.  Ultimately, tissue diagnosis my be required, by fine needle aspiration (FNA) or core biopsy.  This is the decision for you and your breast surgeon to make.  Note that MRI, Molecular Breast Imaging, Tomosynthesis and other breast imaging don't have a clearly defined roll in the diagnosis of the palpable breast lump.


The important thing is that "no lump is ever NOTHING" and requires a diagnosis. SO, if anyone tells you that the lump is nothing, you need to persist and pursue the issue to a diagnosis.




Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!