Hi Dawit,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I am s sorry to hear of the outcome you've had for a routine check up and can understand your anxiety. Many of us are unaware of a breast lump, until we have our breasts checked out. It is unusual to feel pain with a lump, so we don't get the usual warning signs. Waiting for biopsy results is one of the most worrying times of our cancer journey. Not all lumps are cancerous and there is no way of telling until your biopsy results return. It is a fact that only 20%, of all those who attend the breast clinic, will get a cancer diagnosis. I know how frustrating it can be to have further delay, while you are waiting for these additional tests, but it is good to hear that your care team is being so thorough.

I have had 2 bouts of cancer and 1 of pre-cancer, all within a year of each other. I had a lumpectomy at first and a double mastectomy for the second bout. I had to have the additional tests you mention, plus a CT scan. My consultant was pretty sure that I had cancer on all three occasions. Unfortunately, he was right on 2 of those occasions, but I was only diagnosed as pre-cancerous the third time. That was all 15 years ago and I still lead a busy and fulfilled life. 

This will be a testing week. Try to keep yourself occupied with other pastimes, or even work. Try to avoid consulting "Dr Google", as much of the information is out of date, poorly researched and aimed at the more spectacular cases. There really is no point in looking things up online, until you know what type of breast cancer you have, if any, and what stage it is. All you will end up doing, is to scare yourself even further.

It sounds as if you may have caught this fairly early on and it should be very treatable at that stage. The first year after a diagnosis is challenging, but "doable". Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx