The Cyst That Saved My Life

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 42. I felt a lump in my right breast that was slightly painful. I really didn't think it was anything to be concerned about because I had none of the risk factors for breast cancer.

After waiting 2 months for the lump to go away, I thought I might as well have a baseline mammogram and see my gyn. At the time I was employed in the office of my family doctor. I had my mammogram in the morning and received a fax in the afternoon that the result was highly suspicious for carcinoma. The lump I was feeling turned out to be a benign cyst but the mammogram revealed a mass that was malignant. My surgeon told me many times to be thankful for the "cyst that saved my life" as the cancerous mass was so deep it would have killed me if it had gotten large enough to feel. This month marks 7 years of surviving breast cancer!!

Gail