Women's Health

Hard, tender vein (?) in right breast

08/30/2007

Question:

I have never been diagnosed with breast cancer, so I hope that is ok to ask questions here because I do not see any other place to ask it.
I was taking a shower yesterday and ran my hand over my breast and found what felt like a long hard cord in my right breast. I thought I was imagining things, so I felt again and sure enough. It runs the length of by breast, which aren`t big, from the top to the nipple area. I imagine it feels like a hard vein.
It is tender, but only to the touch.
I am 45 and breast fed my nearly 5 year old son until he was 3. I don`t know if any of this is relevant, but thought I`d throw it out there. I called the doctor`s office yesterday and they were about to go home for the weekend and couldn`t be bothered with me and just said make an appointment for next week.
My mind is going crazy trying to figure this out: is it cancer? blood clot blocking a vein? milk duct clogged? What?

Answer:

It is really great that you are checking your breasts. Self breast examination is one of best things that women can do to help maintain their health. First, it really isn't possible to tell you if you have breast cancer just by your description. You need to have a professional exam and possibly a mammogram to determine if there is a suspicious mass in your breast.

Having said that, what you describe sounds unusual. It would be rare to have a blocked milk duct two years after your finished breast feeding. Often, around the time of menses, the breasts get slightly swollen and tender. This could be what you are feeling. It's also possible that your breasts are enlarging from pregnancy. You don't say if you are using contraception or have a possibility that you could be pregnant, so that's one explanation.

I'm very sorry that your provider's office was rude to you. I'd suggest that you find an office that will listen to you and get in to have an exam. The standard of practice is that you should have an appointment within 5 days for a suspicious mass in the breast. Don't let them put you off longer than that.

Hope this helps!

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Response by:

Elizabeth R. Barker, PhD, APRN, BC, FAANP,CHE
Associate Professor
Director, Family Nurse Practitioner Program
College of Nursing
The Ohio State University