lump in left breast, pregnant and ebf

[lamplighter]

I have an 18 by 15 mm complex hypo echoic mass in my left breast about 1 inch above my left nipple. I am 8 weeks pregnant and I am ebf my 2 year old. Dr. wants to do surgery. I am wonderning about the future and bf-ing on that side. Do you think surgery will harm the ducts and prevent bf-ing? My concern is cancer...I had a melanoma after dd was born. And I don't want this turning into anything cancerous.

Any thoughts would be helpful and I would appreciate it.

blessings and thanks,
Beth

[StillForest]

Hi Beth-

I had a benign fibroid adenoma removed from my right breast when I was about 4 months pregnant.
I had the same concerns around BFing...but was also very afraid of cancer. The lump was growing very rapidly because of all the estrogen. The mass I had removed was just to the side of my nipple.

DD (now 6.5 months) tends to have an easier time nursing on the other side--not sure whether this is at all related to the surgery. But really haven't had any problems with breastfeeding or pumping on that side.


Best wishes to you. Please feel free to email me
if you'd like. Take care,

Sharon

[lamplighter]

Thank you StillForest, I am glad to know that another mom has had a similar experience and is still bf-ing successfully. I just don't know what to do, i will get several opinions though. I am starting to spot and I think this is just too stressful right now, perhaps I should wait till I am well into my second trimester to have any surgery if that is the way I have to go.

Thank you again Sharon and I wil email you or pm you and keep you updated.

blessings,
Beth

[Becky N.]

Your surgeon should be able to do a needle biopsy. That way they can find out what you're dealing with and not worry about taking it out at this point. It can be done under ultrasonic guidance in most cases so that you don't have to worry about radiation from mammograms to localize the lesion. They locate the mass on u/s, then use a thin needle with a little "clamp" on the end to take a sample of tissue out of it for analysis.

Please do get it biopsied soon, though. Malignant breast CA's that are estrogen dependent grow like wildfire during pregnancy. Don't put it off. Your babies need you alive more than they need your breasts.
(I'm a mammographer-I've seen it happen)


If it makes you feel any better, I had a sizable fibroadenoma removed about 10 years ago, with an incision that spans about 1/3 of my areola. My milk supply is slightly lower on that side, but not enough to make a difference in anything. A good surgeon can spare most of your ducts in a simple bx.

My prayers are with you.

[lamplighter]

thank you Becky N for your response. Late Thursday the dr. called with the lab results it's a lactation adanoma. Becasue they are deep the dr. can't assure me that my body won't devlop adhesions after surgery blocking the milk ducts from producing milk. So he will perform a core biopsy and have more of the cells so that we are absolutely sure it is benign.

thanks for your help and information


blessings,
beth