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Benign breast lumps

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Benign breast lumps

Written by Mr J Michael Dixon, consultant surgeon

What is a benign breast lump?

Most breast lumps are benign (non-cancerous).

All women have lumpy breasts: many lumps or nodules that women find are areas of normal breast tissue which can become more prominent just before a period.

Lumpy breasts used to be called fibrocystic disease or fibroadenosis. It is now realised that lumpy breasts are not diseased breasts but are normal.

Two common causes of lumps are fibroadenomas and cysts.

Fibroadenomas

These lumps are not strictly speaking disease at all but a simple overgrowth of the lobules or the leaf of the breast tree (tissue). They are most common in women under the age of 30.

How is it diagnosed? Fibroadenomas move freely within the breast and can be diagnosed by a combination of clinical examination, ultrasound and removing cells with a needle (needle aspiration).

How is it treated?

If you have a fibroadenoma, it may not need to be removed. If left alone, at least one in three of these lumps gets smaller or disappears within two years.

If you are worried about the lump or it gets bigger, you can opt to have it removed.

Cysts

Cysts are smooth, mobile lumps and some are large enough to be seen through the skin. They may be painful.

Cysts are most common in women between the ages of 40 and 50, but are less common in women who are in their 20s, 30s and 60s.

The breast goes through various stages during its development. It may help to think of these stages as seasons.

During 'spring' the breast develops and this is when overgrowth of lobules (fibroadenomas) occur.

In 'summer' the breasts live through regular menstrual cycles; women often notice pain and lumpiness immediately before their period.

During 'autumn' the lobules of the breast tissue can become abnormal and enlarge to form cysts. Cysts are a form of ageing.

How is it diagnosed? A cyst can be diagnosed by ultrasound or by inserting a needle into the lump. The fluid removed from cysts varies in colour from yellow to green to blue-black. Only if the fluid is bloodstained will it be sent for tests.

How is it treated?

If the cyst is large, your doctor may use a needle to drain it of fluid. Cysts do not need to be drained every time because they can be easily diagnosed on ultrasound.

Of every six women who develop cysts:

three will develop only one cyst during their lifetime

two will get between three and five cysts

one will have more than five cysts.

Women who have cysts are at a small increased risk of developing breast cancer, but this risk is not considered significant.

What should I do if I find a lump?

Lumps are common, and the majority are not cancerous.

Nevertheless, if you find a lump in your breast, you should make an appointment and get it checked by a doctor.

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