Fatty lumps may or may not be painful Fat necrosis may occur after a bruise or other injury to the chest or breast and can occur from weeks to years after an injury. Fat necrosis usually goes away without treatment but can form permanent scar tissue that may show up as an abnormality on a mammogram.
Some cancers can form and grow undetected for 10 years or more, as one study found, making diagnosis and treatment that much more difficult. Many women diagnosed with breast cancer never have any signs or symptoms, and their cancer is found during a mammogram.
They usually disappear after menopause, but in some women they can last throughout life. Cysts are more common in post-menopausal women who take hormone replacement therapy than in post-menopausal women who do not.
When to see a doctor. Normal breast tissue often feels lumpy or nodular. But if you feel a new breast lump that doesn't go away, gets bigger or persists after one or two menstrual cycles, see your doctor right away. Also see your doctor if you have new skin changes on one or both of your breasts.
According to the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center at Providence Portland Medical Center, breast cancer cells need to divide at least 30 times before they are detectable by physical exam. Each division takes about 1 to 2 months, so a detectable tumor has likely been growing in the body for 2 to 5 years.
Around 95 out of every 100 women (around 95%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more after diagnosis. Around 85 out of every 100 women (around 85%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis. Around 75 out of every 100 women (around 75%) will survive their cancer for 10 years or more after diagnosis.
A breast lump that's painless, hard, irregularly shaped and different from surrounding breast tissue might be breast cancer. Skin covering the lump may look red, dimpled or pitted like the skin of an orange. Your breast size and shape may change, or you may notice discharge from the nipple.
Shape and size of a breast lump
A tumor may feel more like a rock than a grape. A cancerous lump is usually hard, not soft or squishy. And it often has angular, irregular, asymmetrical edges, as opposed to being smooth, Dr. Comander says.
There are many possible causes of non-cancerous (benign) breast lumps. Two of the most common causes of benign single breast lumps are cysts and fibroadenomas. In addition, several other conditions can present themselves as lumps, such as fat necrosis and sclerosing adenosis.
A moveable lump means that you can easily move it beneath the skin with your fingertips.
Commonly developing from the mammary glands or ducts, such malignant lumps generally (about 50 percent) appear in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast, extending into the armpit, where tissue is thicker than elsewhere.
Sometimes doctors recognize cysts during a physical exam, but they often rely on diagnostic imaging. Diagnostic images help your doctor figure out what's inside the lump. These types of imaging include ultrasounds, CT scans, MRI scans, and mammograms.
[1] Overall, almost 8 in 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer today are predicted to survive their disease for at least ten years.
Although most relapses occur during the first 5 years after diagnosis, late recurrence has been reported, especially in luminal breast cancer. Unlike most solid malignancies, breast cancer may recur 5–10 years after initial treatment.
Breast tissue in and of itself can feel somewhat lumpy and sponge-like, so it can be hard to know if what you're feeling is an actual lump or just normal breast tissue. "A breast lump will feel like a distinct mass that's noticeably more solid than the rest of your breast tissue.
If you feel the same lumpiness in both breasts, or there isn't one lump that's firmer than the others, it's most likely your normal breast tissue. That said, if you find a lump that feels harder, in only one breast, or one that just feels different than what you usually feel, address it with your doctor.
Breast ultrasound may miss small lumps or solid tumors that are commonly found with mammography. Being obese or having very large breasts may make the ultrasound less accurate. You may have risks depending on your specific health condition.
Certain types of benign breast disease, such as atypical hyperplasia, make you more prone to breast cancer. Sometimes, benign breast lumps hurt. Your healthcare provider may recommend surgery to remove painful lumps.
Benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions are very common, and most women have them. In fact, most breast changes are benign. Unlike breast cancers, benign breast conditions are not life-threatening. But some are linked with a higher risk of getting breast cancer later on.
Primary breast tumors vary in shape and size. The smallest lesion that can be felt by hand is typically 1.5 to 2 centimeters (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch) in diameter. Sometimes tumors that are 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) — or even larger — can be found in the breast.
Studies show that even though breast cancer happens more often now than it did in the past, it doesn't grow any faster than it did decades ago. On average, breast cancers double in size every 180 days, or about every 6 months.
If a tumor is cancerous, it will continue to grow and invade normal nearby tissue. If it isn't treated, it can spread to other areas in the body. Most cancerous breast tumors first appear as single, hard lumps or thickening under the skin.