When you first discover a lump in your breast, your initial reaction may be to panic and worry that you have breast cancer. While you should certainly call your doctor to schedule a mammogram promptly, it's important to relax in the meantime. There are many non-cancerous causes of breast lumps, and there's a good chance your lump can be chalked up to one of them.
Fibroadenomas
Fibroadenomas are a type of benign (noncancerous) tumor that can occur in the glandular and connective breast tissue. If you're in your 20s or 30s, there's a good chance this is the type of lump you have found. This type of lump tends to be round with distinct borders; some are microscopic, while others are several inches in diameter.
If your doctor determines that the lump in your breast is a fibroadenoma, he or she will likely recommend having it removed so that it does not change the shape of the breast as it continues to grow. Having a fibroadenoma does increase your future risk of breast cancer, so your doctor may want to monitor you more closely for cancer going forward.
Intraductal Papillomas
Most common in women ages 35 to 55, this type of noncancerous breast lump grows in the milk duct of the breast. If you're experiencing nipple discharge and the bump seems to be centered under your nipple, there's a good chance this is the type of lump you have. Your doctor will take a biopsy of the lump to ensure it is not cancerous, and upon confirming this fact, will remove the affected milk duct through a rather routine surgical procedure. Women who develop intraductal papillomas at a young age may be at an increased risk of later developing breast cancer.
Oil Cysts
An oil cyst is essentially a lump that consists of fat that has become separated from the rest of the fat in the breast by a wall of connective tissue. Lumps of this type are not tender to the touch, and they often appear after a physically traumatic event, such as a car accident. They can be diagnose with a simple ultrasound. Unless the appearance of the oil cyst bothers you, there is generally no need to have it removed.
If your breast lump seems to match one of these descriptions, you can relax a little -- but do still see your doctor to rule out the chances of breast cancer. If you do, indeed, have breast cancer, the sooner you are diagnosed, the greater your chances of recovery will be.
To learn more, visit a clinic like Women's Care Inc.
Share11 September 2015
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