Breast Lumps

Feeling a lump in a breast can be scary. For a lot of women, the first thought is cancer. The good news is that 80% to 90% of breast lumps are not cancer. If you feel a lump in your breast, don’t panic! Call your doctor.

Signs, Symptoms & Causes

Solid tumors. These include:

• Lipomas. These are fatty tumors that can grow very large. They are usually benign.
• Fibroadenomas. These lumps are round, solid, and movable and are usually benign.
• Cancerous lumps. Often, these are firm to hard masses that do not move when felt. They are often an irregular shape.

Cysts. (These can be very small and diffuse, as in fibrocystic breast disease). These cysts:

• Are fluid filled sacs.
• Are painful and feel lumpy or tender.
• Can occur near the surface of the skin of the breast and/or be deep within the breast. This second type may need to be tested with a biopsy to make sure it is benign.

Nipple-duct tumors. These tumors occur within the part of the nipple that milk flows through. They cause a discharge from the nipple. These tumors should be removed by surgery. In rare cases, a bloody discharge from the nipple could be a sign of cancer.

Diagnosis

Tests can be done to help diagnose whether or not a breast lump is benign.

• Mammogram. This X-ray of the breast can detect breast problems before they can be felt.
• Ultrasound. This tells whether the lump is fluid-filled (usually harmless) or solid.
• Needle aspiration. With this, a needle is put into the lump to remove fluid or cells.
• Biopsy. There are many types. With these, a sample of the breast tissue is taken and examined.
• Ductal lavage. Fluid is sent through a catheter to the milk ducts. Cells inside the milk ducts are collected and checked for the risk of breast cancer.