Advice needed on breast cancer

[Wtafdidido]

Found a lump over bank holiday weekend and breast been achy and a little uncomfortable. Saw GP yesterday who said she could feel a 2.5cm mass and due to the size feel and location she was concerned. I assumed I would be red flagged to Consultant and then there would be scans etc before any lumpectomy but she has red flagged it to go straight to lumpectomy as the first step. This has given me major anxiety and makes me feel it is pretty much going to be a cancer diagnosis. Will it really happen like this? She has asked them to contact me by the end of this week. I am so scared I have young Children and no family support and their father would never cope on his own with them. That’s my biggest fear.

Sorry to hear this.

What will happen is a suspected cancer referral to your local hospital and they will do tests to see if cancer. In mine, which was similar, first GP dismissed then second GP a few months later said 99% cancer, and it went through to hospital. They did an one-stop shop and first was a breast surgeon who examined me and could tell by their reaction they knew it was cancer as they immediately mentioned a plan. Then it was a mammo then an ultrasound and biopsy then I was called in to see 2 doctors for a chat. I asked them if it was cancer and they said biopsy back in a week but they were certain it was cancer. Biopsy a week later confirmed.

Then as I had pains in my ribs and hips they did a CT scan to see if spread - its quite unusual to be straight to stage 4 (under 5%) and they don't normally do this scan but as I had symptoms they did. This showed about 8 issues but bones were not one and one they were concerned about but after lots more tests was not cancer.

Then they did a breast MRI, that is as mine was lobular breast cancer. You may not get that. Then it was surgery.

Its really scary if it is cancer and turns your world upside down but there are lots of treatments and at the start you assume its a death sentence but even if it is cancer, 95% of the time its a first cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body and generally there's treatment and your life gets back to a new normal. I am 3 years on and clear now, there's a lifetime risk of it coming back at stage 4 and I had a year of treatments - mine was 5cms with spread to lymph node which meant chemo, 2.5cms is smaller and might well just be an operation then hormone tablets if hormone positive. Maybe a weeks radio but radio was very easy, just 5-10 mins of lying on a bed each day for a week. Hopefully its not cancer.

Thank you. Just keeping my fingers crossed and trying to keep things normal but I just look at my kids and feel sick at the idea of turning their happy little worlds upside down.

I had a sudden big lump that went away by itself. After a biopsy & many scans. They said "we don't know what it is, but it's not cancer"

Try not to assume the worst. There can be a lot of twists & turns on these journeys.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I've got my breast clinic appointment for a suspicious lump on Friday. Hoping for the best. I wish you well x

Please try not to worry. The sooner they find out what it is the sooner they can treat it. I wish you the best x

Is your GP also an oncologist?
They can’t just jump to a lumpectomy without biopsies.

I wonder if you might have misheard what they said.

Things might have changed in the intervening years but when I had concerns about my breast I saw my GP who immediately referred me on the 2 week pathway. At no time they suggest what it could be or the type of diagnostics that might be performed at the hospital. As it turned out I had a needle biopsy which was definitely cancer since it bent the needle. Then it was a matter of a meeting with my specialist a couple of weeks later. It was a slow enough process to ensure I was treated ( mastectomy , chemotherapy and radiotherapy) promptly but also gave me time to get my head round it and prepare for the next stage.

Ask lots of questions at meetings and afterwards go through it again with the breast care nurses who can give you what you need physically and mentally.

So sorry you have this worry, @Wtafdidido . I can't advise you on whether or not your lump is cancer. But having had breast cancer myself I know the reality is seldom as bad as the fear of it.
There is a brilliant thread series on here- 'Likely breast cancer after ultrasound' started by @spartanrunnergirl which has a community of awesome women grappling with the early stages awaiting diagnosis and treatment, and sharing experiences as they come through it. It's the absolute best of Mumsnet and I know has been helpful, inspiring and encouraging in equal measure.

Good luck with whatever comes next. I really hope you aren't becoming a member of this club- but if you are, you will find you can cope with it because you are much stronger, braver and more loved than you yet know.

Thanks @Wtafdidido and @BobbyBiscuits I hope you both get the all clear but if not at least when you start treatment you are fighting it back. There is also under General Health a Cancer Support Thread and for those who finished treatment a Great Recovery Thread. I wasn't strong throughout my treatment, I was a nervous wreck, but they can work with that, you just need to turn up and there is a lot of support from staff, other women who've been through the same, charities and benefits available like ESA and some get PIP. I did find the treatment year tough, mainly chemo, surgery was much easier than I feared. Now its over I don't really think about it and I am a lot stronger after it. Caught early on the treatment can be very quick. Life will never be quite the same but its actually more exciting now as you live in the moment and don't put things off - I have worked in my dream job and travelled to Africa, South Atlantic Ocean island and to Europe since January.

Thank you! And I love the idea that you seize the moment more after you've been through it. You see the value of life and it being short, so make it sweet as possible! Great attitude.

I've a few friends who've had BC and they both lead really fun fulfilling lives. One went to Madagascar recently. I know for many people it doesn't have to make your life worse.

I wish you and everyone going through it well x

That's what I thought. They'd do a scan, then a biopsy then then full removal if needed? The GP shouldn't be saying with certainty it is or isn't cancer.

I have to say I didn’t think GP’s could refer directly for a lumpectomy as you normally have to go through the breast clinic first. You gp cannot tell for certain from feel of the lump if it is cancer. You lump could be many things apart from cancer. I had a lumpectomy three years ago which turned out to be a tumour called phyllodes which thankfully was benign. These can grow very large as can fibroadenoma. I know it’s a very scary
process you have to go through but the main thing is you are in a pathway now and the experts will
deal with it. Wishing you all the very best

I had a breast clinic appointment last week for a lump I thought was there. Mammogram and ultrasound later all was normal but I was extremely anxious as having been three times before I have had a biopsy taken every time. They to remember that most people will be sent away with no problem detected. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

@Wtafdidido firstly, I'm so sorry you find yourself here but as @PemberleynotWemberley says, you will find the very best of Mumsnet and these threads helped me hugely when I have found myself where you in the last 2/3 months.

Unfortunately for me, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, however, I am told that most lumps are not.

The process from me was GP who referred to 2 week wait breast clinic appointment, at this appointment I had an examination by a consultant, then a mammogram, then an ultrasound followed by a biopsy. I then got my results just over 2 weeks later. I have never heard of a GP referring straight for a lumpectomy so I would be very surprised if you skipped all of the above steps.

Best of luck to you. I really hope it's anything but the dreaded but I can assure you, if it is, the waiting is the worst part. Be kind to yourself during this time.

I found a lump when I was 16. GP was shit and said they couldn't feel anything but I could feel it against my ribs as they were checking. I asked for a second opinion who said they couldn't either but agreed to the referal.

Got seen at a 1 stop clinic, consultant did find something by having me lay down for an exam (unlike the GP who wanted a standard stood up one only) due to having extra breast tissue and sent me for an ultrasound that found a 5cm mass. Didn't think cancer but decided against biopsy as they weren't leaving something that size in there anyway, so they arranged for it to be removed a couple days later, with histology done after. It was a benign fibroadenoma.

So you'll likely be seen very quickly, consultant will decide what to do. They do sometimes decide just to take it out rather than wait for a biopsy. I will have everything crossed for you it isn't cancer, but people do survive and live with cancer. A family member was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer and given 2 years, she survived a further 15 years. Breast cancer survival rates are high, and even higher the earlier detected and treated. You've done everything you can for your babies by getting seen ASAP. Take it one step at a time x

Thank you so much. I'm glad yours was nothing! Statistically it's only 20% of lumps seen at the breast clinic are cancer. (Says the internet?) So I'm hoping for the best. X

Exactly and the odds are in your favour! When I had my tumour diagnosed I read a bit about it, scared myself stupid as most articles pointed to it being rare tumour etc but when I asked the breast surgeon about it she told me that they saw this on a weekly basis which made me feel better! I do remember constantly crying though whilst waiting for the results. I will be thinking of you and crossing everything for an a good result.

I saw my GP at end of April with a lump which she described as hard and very suspicious and I was referred to the breast clinic on the 2WW pathway.

I've been a few times before and, as others have said, l had a physical exam, ultrasound and mammogram. On all other occasions it turned out to be a cyst which was then drained using a needle. I'm really hoping for the same this time. Good luck to everyone also waiting for their appointment.

Good luck ladyflower crossing everything that’s it’s another pesky cyst

Hi OP

Your GP is unable to refer you for a lumpectomy. Standard process is they refer you to a breast clinic where they examine you manually, and do a mammogram and possibly ultrasound. If the lump looks suspicious, they'll do a biopsy. I was told immediately after the ultrasound it was cancer and the biopsy results confirmed it two weeks later. It is terrifying but you will be ok, in all likelihood. If it's cancer, the survival rates are in the high 90%s. I'm fighting fit two years on from diagnosis and life is better than ever. Try to focus on taking things day by day and not imagining scenarios too far into the future. The waiting is the hardest part x

Thank you Munnygirl. Never new boobs could be so much trouble 🥲

These were my thoughts when I was going through it!

Best of luck for Friday, @BobbyBiscuits , you are nearly through the horrible initial wait. Just resist the temptation to Google. It won't help, only frighten you unnecessarily. You are likely to get an indicative result on the day, confirmed either way within a week or two.
I thought my world was over when I found my lump. It wasn't; six years later I just have a slightly battered right boob and an enhanced appreciation of certain people, who are more dear to me than ever.

So I do have cancer. In my breast and lymph nodes and waiting to find out if it is in my lungs (suspected due to symptoms) and bones. It has spread quickly. I was put on the two week red flag referral and it took seven weeks to be seen. The two weeks time frame has now here in Ni been changed legally to a seven week pathway. This is the sort of underhand shit being done to make it look like the NHS are meeting their targets. Women really don’t matter. Another failure in women’s health. Bu the time treatment starts it will have been a minimum 14 week process to get there. I am so angry. How many women lives will be lost because of this? Services are shit. I have to travel two hours each way to every appointment and treatment. I live 30 mins from a brand new state of the art hospital.

I’m so sorry you are going through this