Lumps that feel harder or different from the rest of the breast (or the other breast) or that feel like a change are a concern and should be checked. This type of lump may be a sign of breast cancer or a benign breast condition (such as a cyst or fibroadenoma).
Breast tissue has natural lumps and bumps that you may feel, and you might just be more likely than others to develop lumps in your breasts. 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.
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.
If you find a breast lump that feels round, smooth and firm, it could be a cyst — a dilated milk duct filled with fluid. A breast cyst can be large or small, and the surrounding breast tissue may be tender. A breast cyst may appear before your menstrual period and get smaller or disappear afterward.
"More often than not, breast lumps are harmless. But, any lump could potentially be breast cancer, and it's impossible for a woman to determine whether her lump is cancerous or benign just by feeling it."
Causes of breast lumps
They're often caused by something harmless like a non-cancerous tissue growth (fibroadenoma) or a build-up of fluid (breast cyst). Breast Cancer Now has more information about fibroadenoma and breast cysts. Sometimes, a breast lump can be a sign of something serious like breast cancer.
Fibroadenomas are solid, smooth, firm, noncancerous (benign) lumps that are most commonly found in women in their 20s and 30s. They are the most common benign lumps in women and can occur at any age. They are increasingly being seen in postmenopausal women who are taking hormone therapy.
Lumps that feel harder or different from the rest of the breast (or the other breast) or that feel like a change are a concern and should be checked. This type of lump may be a sign of breast cancer or a benign breast condition (such as a cyst or fibroadenoma).
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.
Fibroadenomas are not cancerous. They range in size from smaller than a marble to as large as a golf ball. Most appear suddenly and stay the same size. Some shrink or continue to grow.
ANSWER: Breast cancer is not always accompanied by a lump. Many women diagnosed with breast cancer never have any signs or symptoms, and their cancer is found on a screening test, such as a mammogram. Among women who experience warning signs, a lump in the breast or underarm area is the most common red flag.
Most cancerous breast tumors first appear as single, hard lumps or thickening under the skin. Other signs to watch for include a change in nipple appearance, nipple secretions, nipple tenderness, and a dimpling or puckering of the skin.
Make an appointment to have a breast lump checked, especially if: The lump is new and feels firm or fixed. The lump doesn't go away after 4 to 6 weeks. Or it has changed in size or in how it feels.
What Should I Do If I Find a Breast Lump? See your doctor if you discover any new breast changes, such as: An area that's clearly different from any other area on either breast. A lump or thickened area in or near the breast or underarm that lasts through your menstrual cycle.
Both benign and malignant masses can be rounded and mobile. Only when cancers are quite advanced are they fixed to skin or the underlying chest wall, and not moveable.
Most breast cancers don't cause any pain, even if they first appear as a lump or a bump. But pain can still bring a lump to your attention, when an object hits the side of your breast just so, or you accidentally brush it past something that compresses it.
Changing hormone levels can cause changes in the milk ducts or milk glands. These changes in the ducts and glands can cause breast cysts, which can be painful and are a common cause of cyclic breast pain. Noncyclic breast pain may be caused by trauma, prior breast surgery or other factors.
' Like the rest of your body, your breasts react to hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle. Many women, for example, find their breasts naturally become swollen, tender and even lumpy in the week or so leading up to their period, so that's not an optimal time to check them.
Often, an abnormal area turns up on a screening mammogram (X-ray of the breast), which leads to additional testing. In other cases, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer.