My husband and I are very concerned about a lump at the base of his skull (barely under his hairline, barely left from center). He has had it for about one month now. It seems pretty close under the skin; so we've been hoping that it is some kind of skin blemish or inflamation (maybe a boil, etc). However, it doesn't seem to be progressing in any way. It is about half an inch long and the shape is oblong. It is quite hard, but it does have some spongy feeling. He can feel it constantly even when he's sitting still and especially when he moves, and it's causing a burning pain and headaches. It is especially painful when he tries to sleep, or more specifically when he tries to lay down on it. He has a family history of cancer (brain tumor in particular) in both his mother and father. Because of this family history, we intend to be very careful with potential signs of anything that could be cancer-related; but he's only 35 years old. Is a fatty tissue deposit usually marked by this burning pain, or is this symptom more likely related to something malignant? Also, can the shape tell us anything (is there a different shape, such as jagged edges vs round like moles)? What kind of tests would you suggest (to find out what it is, how large it really is, and if it needs to be removed)?