Have Pus Filled Lump Under Armpit And Breast. Infection Or Breast Cancer?

Posted on Tue, 8 Jan 2013

Question: About six months ago I had a lump under my armpit possibly from shaving! I popped it there was blood and milky flood that came out. I went in August for a physical exam and the doctor felt a lump on the left breast. Still waiting for a biopsy. When they did a Mamogram they said it was about 2 mm. But that on the left side as well a lymph node was 6 mm to 8 mm. Could there be an infection. I do have annoying pains in my left breast and sometime sharp ones? Is this more a possibility of a sign of breast cancer? Or is it more a sign of possibly an infection that started under my armpit and entered a lymph node and then into the breast causing a cycst?

Answered by Dr. G.Srinivasan (3 hours later)

Hi,
Welcome to XXXXXXX and thanks for your query.
I understand your anxiety.
Breast cancer is given importance because it is the most common cancer in women in western countries. Having said that, BENIGN conditions are more common than cancers in the breast.
Having been able to see and feel the organ so easily, it is inappropriate to miss a diagnosis in the early curative stage and hence the stress is laid on evaluation of the breast periodically.
Your description fits with non cancerous condition like fibroadenoma or fibrocystic disease.
But a biopsy is needed to reach a conclusion ad thereby plan appropriate treatment.
So you may relax as of now and please undergo the biopsy on the said date and things can be worked out with the results.
Hope this helps, kindly revert back for doubts for any.
Best Regards
DR GS

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar