Most breast lumps are noncancerous, which means they are benign. You might be surprised to find a breast lump, but it’s important to remember that it may not affect your long-term health.
However, a breast lump can be a sign of cancer. It’s wise to always seek a medical evaluation of any lumps or swelling you discover on your breasts.
Although breasts are commonly associated with women, breast tissue is present in both men and women. Your hormones affect this tissue. Hormonal changes can cause lumps to form and, in some cases, to naturally disappear. You can develop breast lumps at any age.
Causes of Breast Lumps:
There are many possible causes for a lump in your breast, including:
- breast cysts, which are soft, fluid-filled sacs.
- milk cysts, referring to sacs filled with milk that can occur during breast-feeding
- fibrocystic breasts, a condition in which breast tissue feels lumpy in texture and is sometimes accompanied by pain.
- fibroadenoma, meaning noncancerous rubbery lumps that move easily within the breast tissue and rarely become cancerous.
- hamartoma, which is a benign, tumorlike growth.
- intraductal papilloma, referring to a small, non-cancerous tumor in a milk duct
- lipoma, which is a slow-growing, noncancerous, fatty lump.
- mastitis, or an infection of the breast.
- injury.
- breast cancer
Symptoms:
TOUCH your breasts. Can you feel anything unusual?
A lump on or around the breast – may not be seen, but might be felt
LOOK for changes. Is there any change in shape or texture?
Change to size or shape?
Can you see any change in size or shape? For example, one breast might become larger or lower than the other.
Change to skin texture
Is there any change in skin texture? This might be puckering or dimpling of the skin of the breast.
Colour change
Can you see a change in colour? The breast may look red or inflamed
Change in nipples
Do either of your nipples look different? For example, one of them might become inverted (turned in) when it normally points out.
Nipple discharge from the breast
Treatment Options:
Surgery:
Mammaplasty
Plastic surgery to increase or reduce the size of the breasts or to reconstruct a breast.
Tissue expansion
Inserting a balloon under the skin and then gradually expanding it to stretch and grow the skin and surrounding tissue.
Lymph node dissection
Surgical removal of a lymph node.
Lumpectomy
Surgical removal of a lump (tumour) in the breast.
Mastectomy
Surgical removal of some or all of the breast.
Medical procedure
Teletherapy
Radiation therapy that uses x-rays or other high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumours.
Radiation therapy
Treatment that uses x-rays and other high-energy rays to kill abnormal cells.
Medications
Estrogen modulator
Mimics the effect of oestrogen on various tissues, including the breast, bones and reproductive organs.
Chemotherapy
Kills cells that are growing or multiplying too quickly.
Hormone based chemotherapy
Treats hormone sensitive cancers.
Bone health
Helps strengthen and build bones.
