Little tiny masses in abdominal area

[mts]

All my life I have had symmetry... if I got a pimple on my right cheek, inevitably I would get a pimple on the left. A right chin hair and a left chin hair.
My breast cancer (fortunately) only came on the right side.
Anyway, I found this smallish lump that feels as though it "floats" above my rib cage about a 6 inches from the crease of my breast... ON BOTH SIDES!
I had a CT and a PET and both were negative.
Hemangioma has been ruled out. Whatever they are, they are benign, yet my onc wants them out. My mom had similar little masses. Her right shoulder was an eensy bit larger than her left. They said then that it was not uncommon.
I am not worried about them, but was wondering if anyone had any similar little masses. I have heard they are common and many women get them...
What do you all think?

Maria

[Sherryg683]

I haven't had that experience yet but I'd want them out also. Sounds like you have my kind of Oncologist, if it's not suppose to be there..take it out. It could be nothing but it could develope into something, I'm not a Dr. but I want the lumps out my body after all I've been through, especially if it's not a major operation..sherryg683

[Lolly]

I don't know, I used to feel I wanted every lump and bump out, but over the years (going on 7 since BC) have gotten tired of surgeries and now it definitely has to be life threatening before I go for surgery!

<3 Lolly

[Sherryg683]

Lolly, I can't wait till I get to the point you are. Since my diagnosis in December it seems like this Cancer preoccupies all my waking thoughts. I want everything that has anything to do with Cancer to just disappear, so I can go about my old life. I know it will never happen and I will have to learn to live with it. It's just not something I ever thought I would have to deal with. I was a health freak who worked out 5 days a week before this, now I don't have the energy to do anything. Hoping it gets better after chemo...sherryg683

Dear Sherry,

You will get to that point, unbelievable though it seems now. Once chemo is over with, and radiation and cancer is no longer quite a full-time job, then whether out of weariness or optimism or pragmatism, the mind simply refuses to whirl constantly around the one topic. Tests show, for instance, that little aches in the breast are not a new tumor, that a pull under the rib-cage is not liver metastasis and gradually one actually internalizes this and can talk oneself through and out of panic. Anxiety can still erupt from time to time, but life does return - not to the pre-cancer garden of eden innocence and certainty - but to something very livable.

just hang in there, keep writing to this site and you'll get through it all.

I am a man and non sufferer.

I have two I have had for years, but not symetric. One on the edge of the rib cage could have been the result of an impact injury, and a tiny one in the abdominal area. You would think you would notice them appearing but I didnt, so have no idea how long they took to appear or when.

The doctor says they are of no significance, and the advise is leave well alone. I have had them for years. One did start becoming sensitive but has no done so since I changed my diet, and I think they are smaller. After the time I have spent on this site I am much more concious about such things, and there is an element of cowadice / not wanting to know / avoiding the treatment machine, balanced by trust in my doctor / the result of my own observation.

If I had had previous contact with cancer I think I would want a biopsy just to know.

On the issue of adaptation we are wonderfully adaptable as a species, and have memories designed to forget/fog/grind off the harsh edges to an extent. If we could'nt forget I dont think we would survive, overcome and continue, but the price is loss of innocence, a sack of unanswerable questions, and a sense of sadness at the inevitablility of the human condition.

I think it is called wisdom, I just wish I could remember where I left it.

RB

[sarah]

biopsy at least. I had a cyst in the breast I had cancer in )I had a mastectomy). nothing showed up in any test - mamma, sonogram, mri, petscan, etc. first time cyst taken out supposedly not cancerous. cyst came back. second time also no tests showed it even after a biopsy that showed where it was! and now it was invasive. so i'd say there's a reason you have a lump and that lump might just be irritation from cancer cells or an injury or ? but it needs to be thoroughly checked out. you don't want any loose cancer cells running around - like what happened with me - they thought they'd taken everything out - more than needed in fact and margins way clean but.... hope this doesn't scare you but does tell you - be very vigilant, leave nothing to chance. did you have radiation there? if you did, you should be ok. anyway it's probbly nothing but be safe, be sure. your oncologist is smart to think that way also.
good luck.
sarah

[Lolly]

Yes, I agree with Sarah, and especially since your onc wants it out. Nothing like the voice of experience. I didn't intend for my initial post to sound so casual, was just ruminating on the "experience", but these are early days for you and it is important to rule out any complications.

<3 Lolly

[mts]

thanks for the advice- I have an appointment with a surgical onc next week to discuss removal. Its not like I'm posing for Playboy... At least the scars will be symmetrical...
thank you,

Maria

I have one that I discovered about 6 months after my diagnosis while going though chemo it is just below my rib cage toward the center (scared the heck out of me ) it's on the cancer side about 2" long and squishy very obvious, The Onc. said it's a fatty tumor harmless it's been 5 yrs I still have it and it hasn't changed.

[sarah]

dear unregistered,
did they biopsy it anyway? I'd still really, really want to know.
sarah

Thanks for the concern. I'm touched.

The doctor was not concerned when he saw them some long time ago.

But you are right I should get them taken out, just to be safe.

I will do something about it.

Thank you.


RB