Necrosis Symptoms vs.
Breast Cancer
Most people don’t experience symptoms of breast fat necrosis.
It is important to seek medical care for a diagnosis.
Image by Jessica Olah for Verywell Health
Causes
There are a few causes of fat necrosis.
Sometimes, though, fat necrosis develops without any trauma.
If the fat has turned into liquid, it can look like a cyst on an ultrasound.
With care, the tissue may heal.
For severe pain, ask your healthcare provider about prescription pain medicine.
Oil cysts can also be surgically removed.
However, smoking cessation can help minimize risk of fat necrosis related to surgery.
It doesn’t increase a person’s risk for breast cancer.
A clinical exam and mammogram are tools used to diagnose this condition and guide treatment.
Rarely, surgery may be used to remove a large lump.
Fat necrosis can be a challenge for healthcare providers.
That said, through a combination of imaging studies and a biopsy, a diagnosis is possible.
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