“The breast lump is a small lump that, in most cases, is not a sign of breast cancer, being only a benign alteration, such as a fibroadenoma or cyst, which usually does not require treatment.
Therefore, breast cancer should only be suspected when the mass has malignant characteristics, such as changes in breast size and shape, or if there is a history of breast cancer in the family, especially in first-degree parents.
- For example.
- If a lump is found during breast self-exam.
- It is important to consult a mastologist and perform tests such as ultrasound or mammogram.
- So that your doctor can identify whether the lump is benign or malignant and define the most appropriate treatment.
See when cancer can be: how to tell if the lump in your breast is malignant.
The unrelated breast lump is called mastopathy and can only occur due to hormonal changes, disappearing after menstruation, or appearing due to the onset of a cyst or breast tissue fibrosis. Some of the most common causes of breast lumps include:
Fibrocystic changes are the most common cause of breast lumps and are related to hormonal changes in a woman’s body, especially during menstruation or during treatment with some type of hormonal medication.
Knot characteristics: usually appears in the week before your period and disappears one week after the end of the period. They can appear as hard and painful nodules, which appear on one or both breasts.
Cysts usually occur in premenopausal women over the age of 40, being a non-serious breast disorder that rarely becomes cancer and does not require specific treatment.
Knot characteristics: they are more common in both breasts and can change size during menstruation. In addition, they can also be painful when a woman drinks caffeine through coffee, tea or chocolate, for example. See all the symptoms here.
Fibroadenoma is the most common type of breast mass in young women aged 20 to 40 years and is caused by the proliferation of milk glands and breast tissue. More information: breast fibroadenoma.
Characteristics of the nodules: they have rounded shape, are slightly hard and can move freely around the breast without looking in the same place. Also, they don’t usually cause pain.
Lipoma is the result of the accumulation of adipose tissue in the breast and is therefore not severe and can only be removed by surgery for aesthetic reasons.
Characteristics of the nodules: they are soft, similar to small adipose pads, which can move around the breast. However, in some cases, lipomas can also be hard and can be mistaken for breast cancer.
Some breast infections, such as mastitis during pregnancy, can cause inflammation of the breast tissues and ducts and cause lumps. See the main symptoms of this problem at: Mastitis.
Knot characteristics: they usually cause breast pain, especially when pressed, and can cause redness at the nodule site.
Diabetic mastopathy is a rare and severe type of mastitis, an inflammation of the breast that causes pain, redness and the appearance of one or more lumps in the breasts, which can be mistaken for cancer. This disease occurs only in people with diabetes who use insulin, mainly affecting women.
Knot characteristics: Hardened tumors appear indoloros at the onset of the disease and blisters and pus may also occur. More information: Learn how to treat diabetic mastopathy.
The most commonly used tests to diagnose a nodule are mammography and ultrasound, but your doctor may also use breast palpation during your appointment.
The result of mammography is standardized, using the BI-RADS classification system and therefore the result of the test may be:
The lump in the hypoecogen or hypoecogen of the breast is just one expression that appears in the reports of the imaging tests, without indicating the severity or malignancy of the lump.
Breast lumps do not usually require any treatment, as they do not cause any changes in the patient’s health and do not increase in size. However, when the dough is very painful or very large, the gynecologist may recommend taking a mass-specific birth control pill or sucking the dough to relieve symptoms.
Male breast mass is often associated with male breast cancer, but it can also be benign, and therefore, when you notice the presence of a lump, you should tell your doctor to perform diagnostic tests to identify the origin of the nodules.
Learn how to quickly identify breast lumps in: How to self-examine your breasts.