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What Causes Oval Shaped Lump In Calf And Swelling In Leg?
Question: I have a small oval-shaped lump in the middle of the back of my left calf which has been growing larger over the last couple of months. A couple of months ago I went to the hospital with a sore leg, and was given an ultrasound of the leg to make sure the problem wasn't a DVT. At this point the lump was very small.
Now it has to perhaps 1-1.5 cm in width and there are other small painful lumps surrounding it. My whole lower calf has been hurting on and off for the last few days. I had the leg briefly checked out again 2 weeks ago by a GP in an emergency ward in London and the doctor simply said it was a lipoma. I am concerned however that the lump has been growing over the last few months and the surrounding area is painful. I read about angiolipomas - lipomas they can come in multiples and be painful. Lipomas shouldn't be painful right?
Tonight it was hurting after walking around for a while, but yesterday it was also hurting after sitting on my bed all day.
Given these symptoms do you think a biopsy is necessary to rule out a malignant tumour? I am currently overseas studying an exchange in Spain so it's been difficult finding a reliable doctor.
Now it has to perhaps 1-1.5 cm in width and there are other small painful lumps surrounding it. My whole lower calf has been hurting on and off for the last few days. I had the leg briefly checked out again 2 weeks ago by a GP in an emergency ward in London and the doctor simply said it was a lipoma. I am concerned however that the lump has been growing over the last few months and the surrounding area is painful. I read about angiolipomas - lipomas they can come in multiples and be painful. Lipomas shouldn't be painful right?
Tonight it was hurting after walking around for a while, but yesterday it was also hurting after sitting on my bed all day.
Given these symptoms do you think a biopsy is necessary to rule out a malignant tumour? I am currently overseas studying an exchange in Spain so it's been difficult finding a reliable doctor.
Brief Answer:
Soft tissues ultrasound should be done.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thank you for the query.
Can you please attach a photo of this lump?
Yes, lipoma should not hurt at all. Moreover it should not grow fast. Lipomas usually get larger through years, not weeks or months.
Any lump which grows fast is suspicious.
Most likely it is benign, however you should make sure this is not anything malignant.
Before any biopsy decision, you should have soft tissues ultrasound. This test is good enough to tell about lump consistency, shape and location. Having this informations it is possible to rule out malignancy.
Only in case of doubts, biopsy or whole lump removal can be done.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Soft tissues ultrasound should be done.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thank you for the query.
Can you please attach a photo of this lump?
Yes, lipoma should not hurt at all. Moreover it should not grow fast. Lipomas usually get larger through years, not weeks or months.
Any lump which grows fast is suspicious.
Most likely it is benign, however you should make sure this is not anything malignant.
Before any biopsy decision, you should have soft tissues ultrasound. This test is good enough to tell about lump consistency, shape and location. Having this informations it is possible to rule out malignancy.
Only in case of doubts, biopsy or whole lump removal can be done.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you.
I will try to organise to see a doctor and get a scan done in the next couple of days. I am meant to leave my current location very soon but I know I need to get the lump looked at as soon as possible.
If feels at times as if my whole calf is sensitive and hurting (not just the lump but the muscles surrounding it). Is this an unusual symptom?
It feels a little like muscular pain which is why the first doctors I saw didn't seem so worried (who I saw a couple of months ago). They told me to take paracetamol and sent me home. Of course the concern is that the pain has gotten worse and the lump slightly bigger.
Also my left leg is slightly swollen - it looks slightly bigger than my right leg.
I will try to organise to see a doctor and get a scan done in the next couple of days. I am meant to leave my current location very soon but I know I need to get the lump looked at as soon as possible.
If feels at times as if my whole calf is sensitive and hurting (not just the lump but the muscles surrounding it). Is this an unusual symptom?
It feels a little like muscular pain which is why the first doctors I saw didn't seem so worried (who I saw a couple of months ago). They told me to take paracetamol and sent me home. Of course the concern is that the pain has gotten worse and the lump slightly bigger.
Also my left leg is slightly swollen - it looks slightly bigger than my right leg.
Brief Answer:
Ultrasound is necessary.
Detailed Answer:
Whole calf pain and swelling are not lipoma symptoms for sure. I do not know how they ruled out DVT, but this condition can cause such symptoms. As long as D-dimers are not checked and Dopplers ultrasound done, this condition can not be ruled out.
Swelling and pain are typical symptoms of any inflammation. So this makes any malignancy less possible.
It is possible that this lump is a kind of superficial veins with blood clot. But still, I am unable to see it, so its hard to be more specific.
For sure ultrasound is a good idea.
Ultrasound is necessary.
Detailed Answer:
Whole calf pain and swelling are not lipoma symptoms for sure. I do not know how they ruled out DVT, but this condition can cause such symptoms. As long as D-dimers are not checked and Dopplers ultrasound done, this condition can not be ruled out.
Swelling and pain are typical symptoms of any inflammation. So this makes any malignancy less possible.
It is possible that this lump is a kind of superficial veins with blood clot. But still, I am unable to see it, so its hard to be more specific.
For sure ultrasound is a good idea.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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