Hello Worrieddaughter80

I'm sorry to hear that your Mum is dealing with some concerns about her breast health at the moment. It's understandable that you're both feeling worried. 

As the original swellings have gotten larger and a new lump has also come up please do encourage her to speak to her GP to get this looked at. It's very possible that the cysts have simply grown larger but it is important to get it checked out for everyone's peace of mind. 

Do let us know how she gets on. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator 

Hello

Please get your mum to go back to the GP and push for an urgent referral. 

My mum found a lump in her leg and went to her GP straight away. Despite her having had cancer in that leg before he wouldn't refer her. Mum was sent for an ultrasound where the sonographer made a diagnosis of a cyst herself,which she shouldn't have done. It should have been investigated by a Dr but never was. 

The GP then became fixated on the fact it was a cyst and fobbed mum off for five months. He advised cancer wasn't possible,despite her history. 

Mum finally got a biopsy after all that time and the lump was malignant. She had the lump removed,but cancer has now spread all around her body. Mum has about two years to live and is taking targeted therapy drugs which really help. 

It's all ok saying visit your GP if you have symptoms,but what if the GP does nothing. My mum went straight away. Angry is an understatement of how I feel. 

Please get your mum to go back.

Hi Worrieddaughter,

I agree with the advice already given by our moderator Jenn and by Oak. Where there have been any changes since her last appointment, these should be investigated again as a matter of urgency.

Please keep in touch and let us know how she gets on. Remember that we are always here for both of you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Oak,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me. I am so sorry to hear what's happened to your mum. I can't even imagine what you must all be going through ! That's just awful and I will be so angry if they have missed something, you put your trust in them don't you. Mum has another appointment at the breast clinic in a couple of weeks. Hope your mum is getting on ok and that you're doing ok Xx

Thank you Jolamine. Mum has an appointment at the breast clinic in a couple of weeks, I'm counting down the days! I can't stop thinking how can they have missed cancer from a mammogram and an ultrasound but it looks like it can happen. I just can't understand why they didn't do anything about her enlarged lymph's in her breast when she was there last time and now they've gone and got bigger , I can't get my head around why they wouldn't have done anything about it  Xx

Hi Worrieddaughter,

It is unlikely, but not impossible that things were missed last time. Sometimes lymph nodes are reactive and swell as a result of a minor infection, but they usually settle down again after the infection disappears. If the doctors saw cysts in your mum's mammogram and ultrasound, they probably didn't carry out a biopsy, as they wouldn't have expected to find anything  untoward in her lymph nodes with a benign lesion. 

There can also be a problem because some cancers don't always show up on mammogram or ultrasound. I do hope that your mum will be seen soon and that all turns out well.

Do please keep in touch and let us know how she gets on. We are always here for both of you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx