Lump in breast (men)

My dad has a lump in his breast, and right now he’s staying over at Memorial Sloan Kettering. He’s already gone through a mammogram, a biopsy, and an ultrasound, so we’re just sitting here waiting... They should be performing surgery tomorrow.

We don't know anything yet. I’ve just been endlessly scrolling through the internet, desperate for any kind of information while we wait.😢

I honestly can't believe he's going to fall into that tiny percentage of men who deal with breast cancer.
The doctor mentioned that the biopsy and mammogram aren't definitive indicators, but I don't really buy it; I suspect they just don't want to say anything until the official results are in, though I have a bad feeling about this...

I guess I just decided to jump on here to vent a little bit...

Joshua Williams82 said:My dad has a lump in his breast, and right now he’s staying over at Memorial Sloan Kettering. He’s already gone through a mammogram, a biopsy, and an ultrasound, so we’re just sitting here waiting... They should be performing surgery tomorrow.

We don't know anything yet. I’ve just been endlessly scrolling through the internet, desperate for any kind of information while we wait.😢

I honestly can't believe he's going to fall into that tiny percentage of men who deal with breast cancer.
The doctor mentioned that the biopsy and mammogram aren't definitive indicators, but I don't really buy it; I suspect they just don't want to say anything until the official results are in, though I have a bad feeling about this...

I guess I just decided to jump on here to vent a little bit...

I'm praying the results actually come back clean.🙂 Please keep us posted on what they find.

Thanks.

How reliable is punctation as an indicator for whether a tumor is malignant or not?

Joshua Williams82 said:Thanks.

How reliable is punctation as an indicator for whether a tumor is malignant or not?

A biopsy is precisely that indicator. Basically, once the needle is inserted and the sample is taken, they run a full histopathological analysis to get the answer.

Joshua Williams82 said:Thanks.

How reliable is punctation as an indicator for whether a tumor is malignant or not?

If the cytologists identify malignant cells within the sample, then they are definitely present—there is a very slim chance of a false positive in those cases.

In reality, a false negative is actually more likely; this happens when the cytology report comes back clear, yet the imaging looks suspicious. In such instances, doctors usually recommend further verification via a biopsy—whether that's a percutaneous one guided by ultrasound or mammography, or even an open surgical biopsy to remove the mass (or at least part of it if we are dealing with an inoperable tumor).

Thanks to you both.

I suppose I bite my nails because they don't tell me anything at all, so I honestly can't even be sure if there are malignant cells present or not... 🤷

Joshua Williams82 said:Thanks to you both.

I suppose I bite my nails because they don't tell me anything at all, so I honestly can't even be sure if there are malignant cells present or not... 🤷

But did you happen to see the biopsy results? Her father likely received them before she was moved to the surgical ward—perhaps he mentioned what they said to someone else in the family?

They started him on IV fluids yesterday (he’s actually been in the hospital since Monday), but he hasn't received the test results back yet.
He’s scheduled for surgery tomorrow.

Joshua Williams82 said:They started him on IV fluids yesterday (he’s actually been in the hospital since Monday), but he hasn't received the test results back yet.
He’s scheduled for surgery tomorrow.

Typically, it takes about two to three days to get cytology results back from a spinal tap.
Why on earth would they plan an operation before even seeing those findings?
I mean—if the puncture results aren't going to influence the decision, then why bother performing the procedure in the first place? 😕

Sometimes I find surgeons—with their specific diagnostic algorithms—to be somewhat opaque, if you know what I mean. 🤷
What were the findings on the mammogram and ultrasound?

They rushed him straight into the hospital and told him surgery was necessary before they even ran a single diagnostic test.
I found that pretty strange myself, because I know doctors can usually tell what they're looking at fairly quickly... 🤷

The mammogram and ultrasound results haven't actually come back yet, but they told him today he needs to head back in for another ultrasound...🤷

My dad isn't suspicious of anything; he honestly thinks they’re just keeping him there for no reason and that whatever this is, it's definitely benign...
We, on the other hand, aren't feeling particularly optimistic. We're bracing for the worst, especially since everything feels so secretive and nobody seems willing to give us a straight answer (everyone just hedges and claims they don't know anything until after the surgery is done 😕)....

Joshua Williams82 said:They rushed him straight into the hospital and told him surgery was necessary before they even ran a single diagnostic test.
I found that pretty strange myself, because I know doctors can usually tell what they're looking at fairly quickly... 🤷

The mammogram and ultrasound results haven't actually come back yet, but they told him today he needs to head back in for another ultrasound...🤷

My dad isn't suspicious of anything; he honestly thinks they’re just keeping him there for no reason and that whatever this is, it's definitely benign...
We, on the other hand, aren't feeling particularly optimistic. We're bracing for the worst, especially since everything feels so secretive and nobody seems willing to give us a straight answer (everyone just hedges and claims they don't know anything until after the surgery is done 😕)....

Honestly, I find this kind of behavior from medical staff quite baffling.
If they haven't even received the official mammogram and ultrasound reports yet, why on earth are they already planning a surgical procedure? Are there other indicators of a malignant condition—perhaps abnormal blood work, elevated tumor markers, or metastatic lymph nodes that would necessitate finding the primary tumor? No; if that were the case, I suspect you would have mentioned it already.

It is quite common for men experiencing breast issues to actually be dealing with gynecomastia, which is a benign condition.
Though... it is possible they spoke with the radiologist who performed the ultrasound and mammogram and have already received a verbal report.🤷

What can I even say? I’m honestly at a loss here..🤷

He noticed a lump—it isn't exactly tiny, if I recall correctly; it feels a bit larger, though soft and somewhat oblong in shape—and went to see his doctor, who then referred him over to the Oncology department.
They told him he could choose whether or not to have surgery, essentially leaving the decision entirely up to him (😕). It turns out it might be benign, though nobody has actually given him a definitive diagnosis yet (since he hadn't even had the specific tests required to confirm anything such as that).

So now, he's sitting in the hospital. They ran blood work, urine tests, and yesterday they did a mammogram, an ultrasound, and a biopsy.... and the doctors? They aren't saying a single word....
They won't tell him if things look good or bad, or even if a specific result points toward one thing or another...🤷

As for gynecomastia, that’s not what this is; he doesn't have enlarged breasts, just this one specific lump....

Joshua Williams82 said:What can I even say? I’m honestly at a loss here..🤷

He noticed a lump—it isn't exactly tiny, if I recall correctly; it feels a bit larger, though soft and somewhat oblong in shape—and went to see his doctor, who then referred him over to the Oncology department.
They told him he could choose whether or not to have surgery, essentially leaving the decision entirely up to him (😕). It turns out it might be benign, though nobody has actually given him a definitive diagnosis yet (since he hadn't even had the specific tests required to confirm anything such as that).

So now, he's sitting in the hospital. They ran blood work, urine tests, and yesterday they did a mammogram, an ultrasound, and a biopsy.... and the doctors? They aren't saying a single word....
They won't tell him if things look good or bad, or even if a specific result points toward one thing or another...🤷

As for gynecomastia, that’s not what this is; he doesn't have enlarged breasts, just this one specific lump....

By definition, gynecomastia is actually the presence of > 2cm of breast tissue under the nipple in a man who isn't overweight.
Which means you don't necessarily have enlarged breasts; gynecomastia can manifest simply as a lump on one side.
Enlarged breasts caused by fat accumulation are actually called pseudogynecomastia—though, truth be told, most doctors tend to confuse the two terms.
It is usually soft (though it can be firm) and can be slightly tender to the touch.

If they initially suggested he might not need surgery, they likely suspect it is benign—but keep in mind, they said that before any actual diagnostic testing was completed, right?
😕

I'm not quite sure; I hope this helps a little.
I am really hoping the results come back positive.🙂

My dad is tall and skinny, so his chest is pretty much completely flat 😁

It really does feel easy enough to just reach out and touch, especially since he's right there next to me... I guess maybe what you're talking about is actually true. 🙂

Joshua Williams82 said:My dad is tall and skinny, so his chest is pretty much completely flat 😁

It really does feel easy enough to just reach out and touch, especially since he's right there next to me... I guess maybe what you're talking about is actually true. 🙂

If the mass is located on the side, then it isn't gynecomastia.
It could, however, be something like a myofibroblastoma, a glandular cell tumor, an inclusion cyst, or perhaps a leiomyoma—all of which are benign tumors (and, interestingly enough, they occur much more frequently than breast cancer). 😉

Joshua Williams82 said:Thanks.

How reliable is punctation as an indicator for whether a tumor is malignant or not?

A biopsy result is generally pretty reliable, but let's be real—there are cases where you get a false negative. To know for sure what's going on inside that mass, a surgeon usually has to remove the whole thing and send it to a pathologist to get the final word on the tissue composition.
I'm really pulling for your dad and hoping everything turns out okay.

wanderingcobra76, please, can you tell me—when a surgeon removes tissue from the breast, can they actually tell right then and there if it’s malignant? I had two biopsies before the procedure that confirmed there were no epithelial elements and that the tissue was just a fibroadenoma.
My surgeon told me while he was removing the tissue that it looked like fatty tissue and that I shouldn't worry. Seriously???
Also, one of my biopsy samples showed sparse ductal epithelium—does anyone actually know what that means?
Thanks in advance for any help.🙂

wanderingcobra76 said:If the mass is located on the side, then it isn't gynecomastia.
It could, however, be something like a myofibroblastoma, a glandular cell tumor, an inclusion cyst, or perhaps a leiomyoma—all of which are benign tumors (and, interestingly enough, they occur much more frequently than breast cancer). 😉

The doctor (Mladen Stanec, Oncology) told my mom that there's some kind of process going on that he isn't particularly happy about, though he did mention it might not necessarily be anything catastrophic...🤷

The thing is, they're holding off on the surgery because apparently her heart isn't in the best shape right now. The anesthesiologist won't give the green light until they've run every possible cardiac test.

So, yeah... the surgery seems pretty much a certainty at this point.

Morgan Jackson3 said:wanderingcobra76, please, can you tell me—when a surgeon removes tissue from the breast, can they actually tell right then and there if it’s malignant? I had two biopsies before the procedure that confirmed there were no epithelial elements and that the tissue was just a fibroadenoma.
My surgeon told me while he was removing the tissue that it looked like fatty tissue and that I shouldn't worry. Seriously???
Also, one of my biopsy samples showed sparse ductal epithelium—does anyone actually know what that means?
Thanks in advance for any help.🙂

When a surgeon removes a tumor, they can often make a preliminary assessment based solely on its appearance—but only if that tumor presents with a classic benign or malignant look, you know? It isn't always that straightforward—is it?
With mastopathy, the tissue looks remarkably similar to normal breast tissue—so, isn't it quite likely that the assessment was based on those similarities?

"Scant ductal epithelium" simply means that the sample contained a few small channels alongside other cells or fluid—it’s essentially just a description of the sample composition. If those specific cells didn't show any signs of atypia, then the phrase carries no clinical weight whatsoever—it is merely the cytologist noting everything they observed within the specimen.

Joshua Williams82 said:The doctor (Mladen Stanec, Oncology) told my mom that there's some kind of process going on that he isn't particularly happy about, though he did mention it might not necessarily be anything catastrophic...🤷

The thing is, they're holding off on the surgery because apparently her heart isn't in the best shape right now. The anesthesiologist won't give the green light until they've run every possible cardiac test.

So, yeah... the surgery seems pretty much a certainty at this point.

Perhaps, upon clinical examination, that formation felt somewhat suspicious to the touch?
It seems we really need to be more vigilant when it comes to monitoring male breast health—wouldn't you agree? One can never be too careful.
That doesn't necessarily mean we're looking at something malignant—it’s just that the doctors can't definitively rule it out until they have the pathology report back after the surgery (unless, of course, the initial diagnostics strongly suggest it's benign).

I just wanted to let you all know that her mammogram came back clear, and according to the doctor, everything else looks normal too. 🙂 He didn't make much of a big deal out of the biopsy results. 🤷

The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, so I suppose I feel a little bit of relief for now.
I just really hope this isn't some kind of false sense of security. 🙂