"I’ve found a lump in my breast."
Don’t panic. Eighty percent of all breast lumps are benign (non-cancerous).
Benign breast lumps are usually moveable and smooth, and can often be found in
both breasts. There are several common causes of benign breast lumps:
- Benign breast changes
- Breast infection or injury
- Medications that may cause lumps or breast pain
Breast tissue changes during a woman’s entire life. Breast tissue is
particularly sensitive to estrogen and progesterone hormone levels that often
fluctuate during the menstrual cycle.
What are the types of benign breast conditions?
- Fibrocystic changes
Changes in hormone balances during normal, monthly menstrual cycles can
create, for some women, symptomatic breast changes that are referred to as
fibrocystic changes. These often are described as benign, tiny, fluid-filled
sacs that may feel like lumps. Tenderness and lump size commonly increase the
week before the menstrual period and lessen a week after. The lumps may be hard
or rubbery and can appear as a single breast lump that may be large or small.
Fibrocystic changes also can appear as thickening of the breast tissue.
Fibrocystic changes can occur in one or both breasts and are the most common cause of benign breast
lumps in women age 35 to 50. It is relatively uncommon for postmenopausal women
to have symptomatic breast changes because of a lack of hormone stimulation of
breast tissue. - Simple cysts
Simple cysts are benign fluid-filled sacs that usually occur in both
breasts. They can be single or multiple and can vary in size. Tenderness and
lump size often change with the woman’s menstrual cycle. - Fibroadenomas
Fibroadenomas are the most common benign tumors found in the female breast.
Fibroadenomas are solid, round, rubbery lumps that move freely in the breast
when pushed. They form as the result of excess formation of lobules
(milk-producing glands) and stroma (connective tissue in the breast).
Fibroadenomas are usually painless. They occur most often between the ages of 20
and 30 and are more common in African-American women. - Intraductal papillomas
These are small, wart-like growths in the lining of the mammary duct near
the nipple. They usually affect women 40 to 50 years of age and can produce
bleeding from the nipple or nipple discharge. - Traumatic fat necrosis
This condition occurs when there is trauma (sudden injury) to the breast.
This causes fat to form in lumps. The lumps are usually round, firm, hard,
single, and painless.