The lump may also be irregularly shaped.
This article explains the differences between noncancerous and cancerous breast lumps.
Illustration by Brianna Gilmartin for Verywell Health
What Causes Non-Cancerous Breast Changes?
Illustration by Brianna Gilmartin for Verywell Health
Some people may experience a lump in the breast that comes and goes.
Although most lumps are not cancerous, they can be painful and lead to infections.
Any changes in your breast should be reported to a healthcare provider.
Breast Cysts
A breast cyst is a benign, fluid-filled sac in the breast tissue.
About 50% of women aged 30 and over develop breast cysts, also called fibrocystic disease.
Breast cysts are due to hormonal imbalances such as increased estrogen levels and decreased progesterone.
Sometimes breast cysts improve aftermenopause.
Although usually benign, complex cysts do have a risk of becoming malignant (cancerous).
Performing a monthly BSE isn’t the preferred screening for breast cancer; a mammogram is.
Breast Fibroadenomas
Breastfibroadenomasare benign tumors that consist of glandular and connective tissue.
They typically affect women in their 20s and 30s, but they can occur at any age.
A fibroadenoma typically feels round and firm and moves beneath the skin during a BSE.
Fibroadenomas are often located near the surface of the breast.
However, some may be too small to feel and are detected incidentally on a mammogram.
Adenosis
Adenosisis a benign condition characterized by enlargement in the breast’s lobules.
A breast lobule is a gland that makes milk.
Adenosis can produce a lump that feels like a cyst or a tumor.
In addition, it can have the appearance ofcalcificationson a mammogram.
Calcifications can signify breast cancer, so a biopsy is required to diagnose adenosis.
Mastitis
Mastitis is an infection of the breast experienced by many women who breastfeed.
It is often accompanied by redness, swelling, and pain.
In addition to home remedies, mastitis is treated with antibiotics.
It may cause a small lump just under your nipple or cause the nipple to be retracted inward.
It most commonly occurs around the age of menopause.
Mammary duct ectasia usually resolves independently or can be treated with antibiotics.
Fat necrosis causes superficial (below the skin), hard, round lumps with skin retraction.
This condition mimics breast cancer on imaging tests and requires a biopsy for diagnosis.
Breast Oil Cysts
Breast oil cysts develop as a result of fat necrosis.
As fat cells die, their contents are released, forming a cyst filled with oil.
Although breast oil cysts usually resolve with time, they can be removed if they become uncomfortable.
Other Benign Lumps
Other benign lumps includebreast hematomas,hemangiomas,adenomyoeptheliomas, and neurofibromas.
Can Men Have Breast Lumps?
What Are the Signs of Precancerous Breast Lumps?
Several benign breast lumps are strongly associated with increased cancer risk.
Others are pre-cancerous growths that can transform into cancer cells later.
Surgical removal of the papilloma and the affected duct is often recommended.
This condition often affects both breasts and is diagnosed with a biopsy.
Depending on how the tumor looks under the microscope, some radial scars need to be removed.
However, if the cancer cells spread out to the surrounding tissue, it is considered invasive breast cancer.
Several breast surgery options are available to treat DCIS.
Even with those odds, however, not all LCIS is treated surgically.
Instead, some healthcare providers recommend regular breast screening and follow-up visits.
Phyllodes Tumors
Phyllodesbreast tumorsaccount for less than 1% of breast tumors.
Approximately 60% to 75% of those cases are categorized as benign.
Although most phyllodes tumors are noncancerous, the standard treatment is to surgically remove them.
Most breast cancers start in epithelial cells.
What Does a Cancerous Breast Lump Feel Like?
Breast cancer is a malignancy made of abnormal breast tissue cells.
Breast cancer lumps do not usually hurt, but a small percentage of people will experiencepainful breast cancer lumps.
If breast cancer goes untreated, it can spread to the lymph nodes, organs, and bones.
Malignant breast tumors include:
Where Are Breast Cancer Lumps Often Found?
It can be located near the surface or deeper inside the breast, close to the chest wall.
It can also occur in the armpit area, where there is more breast tissue (a.k.a.
the “tail” of the breast).
Do Cancerous Lumps Move?
A breast cancer lump is typically fixed in one spot and doesn’t move around during a breast self-exam.
Be sure to have any new lump evaluated by a healthcare provider.
A biopsy will determine which jot down of cancer is responsible for the breast tumors.
However, a needle or excisional biopsy is the only way to distinguish between cancerous and noncancerous conditions.
Since it can take up to 72 hours to get biopsy results, the wait can be stressful.
Maintaining your daily routine and focusing on health can be helpful during this time.
Summary
Although breast lumps are common, they can also be unnerving.
Rest assured that most are not cancerous.
Benign breast masses may or may not put you at a higher risk for breast cancer in the future.
Other lumps are precancerous, meaning they could turn into cancer later.
Breast cancer is curable if caught early, so be sure to complete your recommended breast cancer screenings.
You shouldn’t wait to get a breast lump checked.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends.
Aggressive breast cancer types, like inflammatory breast cancer, can grow and spread quickly.
Breast changes while nursing can be expected and may include a clogged milk duct or mastitis.
Mammograms have a black background with white and gray coloring to show breast tissue.
Aradiology specialistis an expert in reading these imaging tests.
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