A lipoma is a lump of fatty tissue that grows just under the skin. Lipomas move easily when you touch them and feel rubbery, not hard. Most lipomas aren't painful and don't cause health problems so they rarely need treatment.
Do breast cancer lumps move? Most lumps will be movable within the breast tissue on examination, but breast lumps typically do not “move” around the breast. However, sometimes a breast lump will be fixed, or stuck, to the chest wall.
Lumps that are not a cause for concern have some distinctive characteristics. Not-so-serious lumps usually are: Soft. Mobile, meaning it moves and changes form when you touch it.
Some breast cancers feel like distinct lumps or bumps in the tissue. Others feel like a “shelf” just beneath the skin. Some can be easily moved around under the surface.
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.
Feels like: A soft, movable bump just under your skin that's not painful when touched. Could be: A lipoma, a benign tumor in the fat cells under the skin. Lipomas can pop up anywhere on the body, but they're seen most commonly on the torso and neck.
Though lipomas are not dangerous, many people opt to have the growths removed for cosmetic reasons. Surgical excision is the only cure for lipomas, and the tumors will not go away without treatment.
Lipoma is a small hard lump under the skin made of fat. They can be anywhere in the body, but are more commonly found in the back, trunk, arms, shoulder, and neck. They are typically harmless. They move when touched, and often, people can have more than one.
Cancer cells moving through the tissue
One of the ways that cancer cells are different to normal cells is that it is easier for cancer cells to move about. So one of the ways that cancers spread into nearby tissues is by the cells directly moving.
The best test to determine whether a cyst or tumor is benign or malignant is a biopsy. This procedure involves removing a sample of the affected tissue — or, in some cases, the entire suspicious area — and studying it under a microscope. Karthik Giridhar, M.D.
See a GP if:
your lump is painful, red or hot. your lump is hard and does not move. your lump lasts more than 2 weeks. a lump grows back after it's been removed.
A lipoma is a noncancerous growth of fatty tissue cells. A lipoma can develop in almost any organ of the body although they are most commonly found in the subcutaneous layer just below the skin. A lipoma usually grows slowly and is a nonpainful mass that is soft and moveable under the skin.
Lymph nodes are movable, pea-size lumps found throughout the body, but which are mostly found in the neck, groin, armpits, and behind the collarbone. Their role is to get rid of toxins and dead blood cells.
What happens if a lipoma is left untreated? It's OK to leave a simple lipoma under the skin untreated. It may become bigger over time, but even large lipomas don't usually cause symptoms.
It is very rare for lipomas to turn into a cancerous sarcoma. It is still important to tell your doctor if your lipoma changes in any way or if you get any new lumps.
The cause of lipomas isn't fully understood. They tend to run in families, so genetic factors likely play a role in their development.
An infection or abscess is perhaps the most common cause behind a mass that is mistaken for a tumor. In addition, cysts may arise from inflamed joints or tendons as a result of injury or degeneration. Inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can also result in soft tissue masses.
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.
A benign tumor has distinct, smooth, regular borders. A malignant tumor has irregular borders and grows faster than a benign tumor. A malignant tumor can also spread to other parts of your body. A benign tumor can become quite large, but it will not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of your body.
In most cases, doctors need to do a biopsy to be certain that you have cancer. A biopsy is a procedure in which the doctor removes a sample of abnormal tissue. A pathologist looks at the tissue under a microscope and runs other tests on the cells in the sample.
They can feel firm or soft. Benign masses are more likely to be painful to the touch, such as with an abscess. Benign tumors also tend to grow more slowly, and many are smaller than 5 cm (2 inches) at their longest point. Sarcomas (cancerous growths) more often are painless.
Finding a lump under the skin is a common occurrence and usually nothing to worry about. Lumps have different causes and can appear all over the body. Many benign lumps can be left alone, without any treatment. Rarely will a bump turn out to be cancerous or another serious condition.
Persistent lumps or swelling in any part of your body should be taken seriously. This includes any lumps in the neck, armpit, stomach, groin, chest, breast, or testicle.