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.
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.
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.
Breast cancer symptoms at stage 1 may include: Nipple discharge. Dimpling of the skin. Swelling or redness of the breast.
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.
Of all breast lumps, 60 to 80% are benign. The most common concern, however, is still that a given lump may be the first evidence of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in while women over 40 years of age and will occur in 1 out of every 11 women.
Oftentimes an ultrasound or mammogram is used to guide your surgeon to the abnormal area of your breast. If the lump in your breast is not apparent on any studies, it still needs to be evaluated and likely require a biopsy to determine whether it is or is not cancerous.
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.
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.
Breast cancer may often be misdiagnosed as fibrocystic breast disease. Fibrocystic breast disease, also simply called fibrocystic breasts, causes the breast tissue to feel rope-like or lumpy. Fibrocystic breast disease is generally benign. However, it can cause tenderness and pain in the affected area.
The most common type of non-cancerous breast tumor is called a fibroadenoma. A fibroadenoma can look like a small marble, and you can move it under your skin. It's usually firm and rubbery, and doesn't hurt. Doctors aren't sure why you get them, but think there's a hormonal connection.
About half of cancerous breast lumps appear in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast, extending into the armpit. About 18 percent of breast cancer tumors show up in the nipple area. Around 11 percent are found in the lower quadrant, and 6 percent are located in the lower, inner quadrant.
Most fibroadenomas are 1–2 cm in size, but they can grow as large as 5 cm. Simple fibroadenomas are the most common type of fibroadenoma. They are made up of one type of tissue. Simple fibroadenomas don't increase the risk for breast cancer.
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.
A biopsy is only recommended if there's a suspicious finding on a mammogram, ultrasound or MRI, or a concerning clinical finding. If a scan is normal and there are no worrisome symptoms, there's no need for a biopsy. If you do need a biopsy, your doctor should discuss which type of biopsy is needed and why.
Sometimes, lumps in the breast may be caused by cancer cells. While you may feel anxious about a new lump, know that the only way to diagnose cancer is with a biopsy, so try not to assume the worst if you've noticed a lump or change to your breast.
If you have a problem in your breast, such as lumps, or if an area of the breast looks abnormal on a screening mammogram, doctors may have you get a diagnostic mammogram. This is a more detailed X-ray of the breast. Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A kind of body scan that uses a magnet linked to a computer.
Breast cancer has to divide 30 times before it can be felt. Up to the 28th cell division, neither you nor your doctor can detect it by hand. With most breast cancers, each division takes one to two months, so by the time you can feel a cancerous lump, the cancer has been in your body for two to five years.
Some common, early warning signs of breast cancer include: Skin changes, such as swelling, redness, or other visible differences in one or both breasts. An increase in size or change in shape of the breast(s) Changes in the appearance of one or both nipples.
Signs that breast cancer may have spread to the brain
Feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting) especially when waking in the morning. Weakness or feeling numb down one side of the body. Dizziness, unsteadiness or loss of balance and co-ordination.
Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms can appear quite suddenly. Symptoms include: swelling and redness of the breast. pain.