Lump In My Wife's Breast.

[beerchang]

Hey all. 2 days ago my wife told me of a lump in her breast. There's one there alright and I am in peices. Have been to 2 private hospitals as the first didn't even do an ultrasound. Both hospitals have said it's not cancerous but neither have done a biopsy. I have since heard from a couple of friends that members of their family have had the same things and they were cysts. Is this fairly common in Thai/Asian women? I do feel a bit better with 2 hospitals saying it's ok but they said come back for a check-up in a month. As my mother died from cancer I know that waiting a month could be a death sentence for my wife.

Messages of sympathy, while appreciated are not necessary as I would like information on wether this is common first and foremost. You know what I mean.

Thank you in advance.

[Tywais]

I'm a bit surprised the hospitals did as little as they did, I was under the impression that Thailand had a fairly good education program in getting information out to women of the importance of exams and smears. I would find a hospital/doctor and request a mammogram, preferably a diagnostic mammogram since a lump has been detected. Where are you located, that will help point to the right direction for a proper exam?

Some basics of mammography in Thai > Thaiclinic.com

And an English language site going into detail > http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=mammo

[beerchang]

In Ubon. Went to Rajavet (no scan) and Ubon rat (seriously..rat) where they did an ultrasound.

[beerchang]

And thanks for the reply and links. I have to go offline in about 5 mins as wife wants to go home and sleep. I got no connection at home only here in our restaurant

[Tywais]

And thanks for the reply and links. I have to go offline in about 5 mins as wife wants to go home and sleep. I got no connection at home only here in our restaurant

I will pass this link on for you to read later > Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Thailand

[beerchang]

Thank you. Going now. Have to start again tomorrow.

[bina]

cysts are common. most doctors check to see if the lump changes with menstruation; i.e. the size grows larger and then shrinks down. second they palpitate... there are glands that get infected. if they are infected, the area will be hot and hard and red, even if your wife is not breast feeding, pregnant whatever. milk glands get infected but usually accompanied by lots of pain . third, many women, like me , have cystic breasts so lots of lumps and bumps... and mammograph is not definitive. as a matter of fact, i am due to get one done next week since i am on followup for pre cancerous lumps and bumps but i also get a surgeon that does the squishing around the breast thing, as he is the final say. biopsy not done. in israel only after certain age is mammograph mandatory; or by docs request. and usually it is a gynie who sends to a surgeon to decide if one is needed.

i've had a lump removed when around age 20. it was just the size of a humous bean and non cancerous. removed since i was i was moving overseas and didnt trust non american health services. now i do. anyway, dont panic right away.

your wife has to see if the lump/bump changes with her period. if it moves. is it painful. age of wife.

i ws told that what i have (its got a long name but basically means pre cancerous crystallized/calcified cysts-- i had a great slide show about this somewhere i got from the net) is common in women my age (47), just an other thing to add to the stuff that happens as we get older.

bina

israel

[mr_hippo]

My wife works for the Bangkok Breast Cancer Support Group - PM me for contact details.

[beerchang]

Thanks guys 'n' girls. I don't think anyone, despite info and kind words, can help me relax just now.

Thanks bina for your words, but relaxation is a tad difficult right now. I'm sure you understand. Also there's no redness visible, this is internal.

Also thanks to hippo, whom I will certainly PM 'if' we get the worst news.

Just...well...thank you all.

Health and happiness to you all.

Thank you.

[beerchang]

Hi bina, my wife is 33 and just finished her menstruation this month and the lump is there now. She has never given birth and is not pregnant.

I am taking some relief in the stories of lumps that are cysts and feel fairly confident that a doctor knows the difference between a cancerous growth and a cyst. Just freaks me a bit when I consider how quickly cancer 'ripped' through my mum and I have to wait a month before another test. Should I demand a biopsy? Money is no object with regards to my wife. We have 'prakarn cheewit' also.

Regards,

bc

[bina]

if its connected to changes in hormones, the cyst will always be there, but it will change size before and after menstruation, gets larger before and during, and shrinks back a bit after... a good surgeon who specializes in breast lumps is the one who is supposed to exam a woman's breasts and then a mammagrom and/or ultrasound (i got both because mammo doesnt show a good pic of me because of all the lumps and bumps) should be proscribed if the doc feels its needed. but i dont know thai medical practices nor who checked your wife... why dont u pm mr.hippo and get some realtime info from him?

its true that some cancers 'rip thru' soemone but actually, in my kibbutz alone, there are four women with breast cancer one of whom has had it for at least 10 yrs; the second woman is in her fifth year, and two others im not sure but prognosis good. two women died ; one was a heavy heavy heavy smoker, the other was before awareness arrived in israel so she found it too late. since we are/were 300+- members, look at the percentages... actually we have quite a lot of cancer patients on the kibbutz-- most older then 30, (we are a micro population so any medical problems that happen we are all aware of them, ) most of whom are living long productive lives. but they are also receiving the best medical and psychological and physical support available. one of the few advantages of living on a kibbutz that is still socialized and not privatized in most things (health education culture).

bina

israel

[Sheryl]

The ultrasound will have shown if it is a fluid-filled cyst as opposed to a solid mass. Such cysts are common.

Appropriate management is to aspirate the cyst using needle and syringe. If the fluid aspirated is bloody, or if after aspiration there is still some remaining mass, then the fluid should be sent for biopsy, and a mammogram done.

If the fluid is clear and the mass gone after aspiration, that pretty well establishes that it was a benign cyst, but no harm in doing a biopsy on the fluid anyhow if you want that extra reassurance.

Even if fluid clear and totally removed, mammogram advised if the woman is over 35, 33 is close enough that you may as well get one now.

[beerchang]

if its connected to changes in hormones, the cyst will always be there, but it will change size before and after menstruation, gets larger before and during, and shrinks back a bit after... a good surgeon who specializes in breast lumps is the one who is supposed to exam a woman's breasts and then a mammagrom and/or ultrasound (i got both because mammo doesnt show a good pic of me because of all the lumps and bumps) should be proscribed if the doc feels its needed. but i dont know thai medical practices nor who checked your wife... why dont u pm mr.hippo and get some realtime info from him?

its true that some cancers 'rip thru' soemone but actually, in my kibbutz alone, there are four women with breast cancer one of whom has had it for at least 10 yrs; the second woman is in her fifth year, and two others im not sure but prognosis good. two women died ; one was a heavy heavy heavy smoker, the other was before awareness arrived in israel so she found it too late. since we are/were 300+- members, look at the percentages... actually we have quite a lot of cancer patients on the kibbutz-- most older then 30, (we are a micro population so any medical problems that happen we are all aware of them, ) most of whom are living long productive lives. but they are also receiving the best medical and psychological and physical support available. one of the few advantages of living on a kibbutz that is still socialized and not privatized in most things (health education culture).

bina

israel

Thanks again bina. I think i'm resigned to the waiting game. I have no reason to believe the doctors that examined my wife are in any way incompetant. Although Ubonrat actually did an ultrasound, both hospitals/doctors said the same thing.

As mr hippos wife works for the Bangkok Breast Cancer Support Group, I'm reluctant to get in touch (no offense mr hippo) but I can't yet acknowledge that it is C. (sick of the word, you understand) It's such bad timing as I have to return to the UK to start a contract that I will lose out immensly if I don't fulfill it. My wife has her own business here that she can't neglect. But I thank you for all the corespondence and links.

[Sheryl]

I can't yet acknowledge that it is C. (sick of the word, you understand)

From what you say, it probably is not.

Benign breast systs are very common in women over 30. See this link

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cysts/DS01071