Benign breast lumps

Published by Bupa's Health Information Team, July 2011.

This factsheet is for women who have a benign breast lump, or who would like information about them.

A breast lump is a swelling or thickening in the breast. Breast lumps are common. Nine out of 10 breast lumps are benign (not cancerous).

About your breasts

Your breasts are made up of fat, connective tissue, glandular tissue and ducts. The glandular tissue is in lobes that are connected to your nipple by ducts to produce and deliver milk if you have a baby.

A 'tail' of breast tissue extends under your armpit. Your armpits also contain a collection of lymph nodes. These are glands found throughout your body and are part of your immune system.

About benign breast lumps

There are many different types of benign breast lump. Common ones include cysts (sacs of fluid that build up in your breast tissue) and fibroadenomas (solid growths made up of fibrous and glandular tissue). Sometimes normal parts of your breast can feel like a lump.

Symptoms of benign breast lumps

Most breast lumps aren't cancerous but see your GP if you find a lump in your breast, or have symptoms including:

• a change in the size, shape or feel of your breasts (after you have gone through puberty)
• dimpling, puckering or redness of your skin
• lumpiness or thickening of your breast
• a change in the appearance of your nipple
• discharge from one or both nipples
• swelling or a lump in your armpit
• pain that doesn’t go away in one part of your breast or armpit

Causes of benign breast lumps

Some lumps, such as those listed below, are caused by an overgrowth of normal cells.

• Fibroadenoma – this thickening of breast tissue is the most common cause of a breast lump, particularly in young women.
• Mild hyperplasia – this is excessive growth in an area of normal breast tissue.
• Phyllodes tumours – this is a growth in your breast that can be benign or malignant (cancerous).

Some lumps are caused by an abnormal overgrowth of cells, including atypical hyperplasia. This increases your risk of breast cancer, so your GP will monitor you closely.

There are other causes of breast lumps, such as those listed below.

• Cyst – these are a common cause of breast lumps in women before the menopause. These lumps often appear suddenly and some women have several.
• Lipoma – this is a fatty lump.
• Abscess or inflammation – this is usually the result of an infection, often in women who are breastfeeding, although there can be other causes.
• Periductal mastitis – inflammation and infection around your nipple area. This is found most commonly in smokers.
• Fat necrosis – firm lumps that form in a damaged area of fatty breast tissue. This may be from a bruise or injury to your breast.

If you're pregnant

If you're pregnant, you may notice that your breasts become sore. This is caused by an increase in progesterone (one of the female hormones) and growth of your milk ducts.

You may develop benign breast lumps such as milk cysts (galactocoeles) or fibroadenomas during pregnancy. Breast cancer is rare during pregnancy but if you're aware of a definite localised lump or any of the other symptoms listed above, speak to your GP.

Diagnosis of benign breast lumps

Your GP will ask you about your symptoms and examine you. He or she may also ask you about your medical history.

If you have a breast lump, you will usually need to have further tests. Your GP may refer you to a doctor at a hospital or specialist breast clinic to have these tests. The tests you need will depend on your symptoms and age. Commonly used tests are listed below.

• Ultrasound or mammogram – an ultrasound uses sound waves to produce an image of the inside of part of your body; a mammogram is an X-ray image of your breast.
  
• Fine needle aspiration or core biopsy – your doctor will use a needle to collect a sample of cells from your breast and he or she will send it to a laboratory to be tested.

Treatment of benign breast lumps

You won't usually need treatment for small fibroadenomas, hyperplasias or lipomas unless they are causing symptoms. Fat necrosis lumps should also disappear on their own. However, you may need treatment for other types of benign breast lump.

If you have a cyst, it can be drained (aspirated) with a fine needle and you won't usually need further treatment.

Large fibroadenomas, hyperplasias and lipomas are usually removed to prevent them getting any bigger. They will be examined in a laboratory to be certain of the diagnosis. Phyllodes lumps are always removed.

If you have an abscess or other infection, your doctor will give you antibiotics. Abscesses may also be drained if there is a collection of pus.

Your doctor will advise which treatment is best for you.

Self-help

There isn't much reliable evidence that lifestyle and diet changes will increase or decrease your chance of getting a benign breast lump. However, in the long-term, living a healthy lifestyle means you're less likely to get other diseases, including some cancers.

For answers to frequently asked questions on this topic, see FAQs.

For sources and links to further information, see Resources.