HI ObsidianMoon,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I am sorry to hear about your symptoms - you have done the right thing in getting these investigated. Not all breast lumps are cancerous. Some women have naturally lumpy breasts and other lumps can be benign cysts or fibroadenoma. Of all the people who attend the breast clinic, only 20% will get a cancer diagnosis. The reason that you have been referred is that there is no way to be sure until you have had some tests.

You do not say what age you are. This will determine what tests you have. Those under 40 will usually have a physical examination of their breasts, an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy. There is usually another 1-3 weeks wait for the biopsy results. Those over 40 will possibly also have a mammogram. The reason that younger people don't usually have one of these is that their breasts tend to be too dense for the image to show up well. All these tests tend to be carried out at your first visit, which is why you are usually advised to leave 3-4 hours for your appointment, although it seldom takes this long. You will find the staff in these clinics tend to be very understanding and helpful. You can usually bring someone with you if you want to.

I sincerely hope that all goes well for you next week. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx