10/06/2026
I didn’t have a lump.
I had breast cancer.
When I was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in March 2025, I didn’t feel a lump.
What I noticed was something much less obvious: a feeling of heaviness in my right breast.
At the time, it was thought to be hormonal.
But it wasn’t.
I had breast cancer.
And because I had ILC, my experience is a good reminder that breast cancer doesn’t always announce itself with a clearly defined lump. My imaging ultimately showed a relatively small discrete tumor AND a much more extensive area of abnormal tissue that couldn’t simply be described as one lump.
That’s one of the reasons I’m passionate about sharing information about invasive lobular carcinoma and breast self-awareness.
đź’• Know what is normal for YOU.
A new lump is important. But so are changes in how your breast looks or feels—whether that’s heaviness, swelling, thickening, a change in size or shape, skin or ni**le changes, or something else that isn’t normal for you.
And if something doesn’t feel right, don’t dismiss it just because you don’t feel a lump. Talk to your healthcare provider and advocate for yourself.
Most breast changes aren’t cancer. But they deserve to be evaluated.
This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let’s broaden the conversation beyond “find a lump.”
Know your breasts. Know your normal. Speak up when something changes.
And especially for my fellow lobular sisters: ILC can be sneaky. Let’s keep talking about it.