Q: Two months back my wife had an abscess and it was accompanied by a lump under armpit. The abscess has disappeared but the node (very small in size) still persists. The doctor suggested that FNAC is not possible and mammography is also not possible (since my wife is breast feeding). In this situation how can I ensure that it is not cancerous? My mother-in-law died of breast cancer.

A:Following the treatment of an abscess in the breast, one can have a residual lymphnode palpable for several months. You can get this regularly examined by the doctor to see that this is not increasing in size. If it is decreasing or it is stationary, then it is not likely to be cancerous. For breast, one can do ultrasound of the breast to localize any lump, if there is a suspicion.