The skin on your breasts should naturally be more or less flat and smooth. Again, consistency is key. Bumps and birthmarks that are always present are not a problem. A sudden change in the skin on your breasts should be reported to a doctor.
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.
Normal breast tissue often feels nodular (lumpy) and varies in consistency from woman to woman. Even within each individual woman, the texture of breast tissue varies at different times in her menstrual cycle, and from time to time during her life.
"On the other hand, normal breast tissue will feel like consistent fibrous mesh throughout your breast." Breast lumps are typically painless, but occasionally a woman may experience pain with a lump.
With the pads/flats of your 3 middle fingers, check the entire breast and armpit area pressing down with light, medium, and firm pressure. Check both breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening, hardened knot, or any other breast changes.
Abnormal mammogram results occur when breast imaging detects an irregular area of the breast that has the potential to be malignant. This could come in the form of small white spots called calcifications, lumps or tumors called masses, and other suspicious areas.
Lumps that are benign (not cancer) may be tender and feel smooth and mobile. A cancerous lump is more likely to feel hard, but some non-cancerous lumps can feel hard, too.
New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit). Thickening or swelling of part of the breast. Irritation or dimpling of breast skin. Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
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. In order for you to feel a cancerous lump, it probably has to be rather large and closer to the surface of the skin.
What's Considered “Normal” Dimpling? Normal dimpling is usually due to noncancerous lumps or fat necrosis, often confused with breast cancer. Fat necrosis can cause firm, round lumps to form in the breast, but they are not cancerous. 11 The skin around the lump may look dimpled, thickened, bruised, or red.
What does breast cancer look like on a mammogram? Any area that does not look like normal tissue is a possible cause for concern. The radiologist will look for areas of white, high-density tissue and note its size, shape, and edges. A lump or tumor will show up as a focused white area on a mammogram.
It is estimated that more than 90% of breast lumps in women from their early twenties to early fifties are found to be benign, or non-cancerous. It is normal for breast tissue to feel lumpy or rope-like, particularly in the glandular tissue in the upper outer quadrants of each breast.
Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include swelling (edema) and redness (erythema) that affect a third or more of the breast. The skin of the breast may also appear pink, reddish purple, or bruised. In addition, the skin may have ridges or appear pitted, like the skin of an orange (called peau d'orange).
A breast lump that's painless, hard, unusual in shape and different from the breast tissue around it might be breast cancer. The skin covering the lump may thicken, change color or look red. It also may look flaky, dimpled or pitted like the skin of an orange. Your breast size and shape may change.
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.
Reasons to consult a health care provider include: Finding a new breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue or the other breast. Noticing a change in the size, shape or appearance of a breast. Having breast pain that doesn't go away after the next period.
Most likely breast pain is from hormonal fluctuations from menstruation, pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and breastfeeding. Breast pain can also be associated with fibrocystic breast disease, but it is a very unusual symptom of breast cancer.
Breast changes that may be caused by breast cancer
While these symptoms are often caused by benign breast conditions, they may be possible warning signs or symptoms of breast cancer. Check with your doctor or nurse if you notice unusual changes in your breast(s) such as a breast lump, nipple change, or skin changes.
Assessment: Suspicious abnormality: means that there are suspicious findings that could turn out to be cancer. Follow-up: May require biopsy.
The breasts are best examined while lying down because it spreads the breast tissue evenly over the chest.