@A MyBCTeam Member my cancer was discovered through my self exams. I felt a lump that did not feel hard or have irregular edges. It felt much more like a very small water filled sack. It was definitely stationary and felt completely different than anything that I've ever felt in my very dense, fibrous breasts. Another sign for me was the inversion of my nipple on that breast.

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A MyBCTea...

A couple more important characteristics about cancerous lumps that no one ever taught us … they are HARD, not soft. They have IRREGULAR borders and do not feel smooth. They feel FIXED IN PLACE, meaning you can’t move them around easily. Some cancers don’t show up as lumps. Instead you may feel a new area of THICKENING. Or, as a Mammo tech, I heard women simply say that something feels different. Hope this helps. Wish I could teach all women worldwide but most prefer not to hear about until they have a cancer scare. 😢

I do recommend that you continue your self exams! No one knows your breasts better than you 😉 Now that you know that area of concern is actually “normal” tissue, your focus should be on any changes you find. And ONLY once a month. Some want to do self exam every day or every week but that doesn’t allow enough time to feel for a change. You don’t need a perfect technique either. Just do the best you can and report any change. Timing is really important too. If you still get your monthly periods, do your self exams about 7 days after the first day of your period.

MRI is the most sensitive test for breast cancer. 3-D mammograms are better for dense breasts. 3-D images the breast in “slices” so the radiologist can page through it. Not every facility offers them so it’s best to ask for it when scheduling. Ultrasound is an excellent tool when added to a mammogram for women with a clinical concern like lumps and indentation. Try your very hardest to obtain your old mammogram IMAGES so they can compare with the current ones. Waiting is tough but I’m glad they are checking it out again for you.

@A MyBCTeam Member: I know - it was the first question I asked when I got to oncology- how the hell does a mammo miss THREE tumours - one directly behind the nipple that was close enough to cause the nipple to itch and flake? (That's what made me go to a doctor in the first place - no lump, just itchiness/irritation) The nurse just laughed at me and said "yup!" They KNOW mammos are crap when it comes to dense breasts - that's why it's all so infuriating. And believe it or not once I was done all of my active treatment my onc tried to send me back to yearly mammos ONLY - and I essentially told him to kiss my unicorn a$$! I agreed to at least alternate the mammo with an MRI every six months.

You just keep riding them until they've tested you every which way you need to be until you have all your answers!

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