Benign Breast Lumps and Conditions - DRHC Dubai Breast Cancer Clinic

Most benign breast lumps and conditions are directly related to your menstrual cycle and due to changes in the hormonal level causing fluctuations in the breast. That’s why breast self-examination should be at the same time of the month. Other benign breast lumps could be related to plugged milk ducts, infections or even breast trauma.

Women who never had children and those who have a history of irregular menstrual cycles are more prone to develop benign breast diseases.

The most common benign breast conditions are:

Fibrocystic disease: A granular felt breast lumpiness. These lumps are the most common benign breast condition affecting about 50% of all women. Symptoms of fibrocystic change include tender, fibrous or a round fluid-filled cyst. These changes related to hormone fluctuation may appear at middle age and regress with menopause. Treatment may require some hormonal medication or your surgeon may ask for needle biopsy to be sure that it is fibrocystic disease not cancer

Cysts is a kind of fibrocystic changes. Cysts are round or oval lumps commonly affects women between ages 35 to 50 yrs. They are tender to touch and filled with fluid. They change with your menstrual period, becoming bigger and more tender at the start of your period and reduces at the end of your cycle. An ultrasound or a fine needle aspiration may be needed to make sure it's a cyst and not something else, sometimes doctor may use a needle to reduce the fluid inside it.

Fibroadenoma Common in women in their 20s and are more common with the use contraceptive pills before age 20. This tumor ranges in size from very small to several centimeters. It is mobile under the skin, round and firm, easily diagnosed by ultrasound scan, mammography, FNA or biopsy by removal of the lump

Fat Necrosis This occurs by trauma to fatty breast resulting in the formation of round, tender firm lumps. It's more common in obese women with large breasts. Bruises of breast skin may be found at early stage. Your doctor will follow the lump through several menstrual cycles and may need to remove it surgically.

Nipple Discharge This is common with or without presence of breast lump. The color of nipple discharge related to the nature of fibrocystic disease it varies from yellow to green. A clear to milky discharge reflect a hormonal disturbance. Green discharge usually related to duct ectasia; bloody discharge is worrisome as it could mean cancer. Your doctor needs to study the fluid under a microscope “cytological examination”, especially if there is a breast lump which may require excision biopsy.

Mastitis is an infection of the milk ducts, causing a lumpy, red and warm breast accompanied by fever. It occurs most commonly in women who are breast-feeding, but also can occur in non-breast-feeding women. Treatment by warm compresses and antibiotics. Your doctor may do biopsy. if they occur in a non-breast-feeding woman or if the condition did not resolve with medical treatment.

Other Less Common Conditions

• Lipoma, which is a benign fatty tumor occurs from breast fatty tissue
• Adenosis, which causes enlarged lobules
• Hyperplasia, an overgrowth of cells in the breast ducts or lobules.
• Intraductal papilloma, a wart-like growth of gland tissue that grows in the duct.

Can benign breast conditions increase the risk of breast cancer?

Generally, Benign breast conditions and lumps are not breast cancer. However, some types with abnormal cells( hyperplasia) increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Hats why FNAC and biopsy with histopathological examination is important to be sure of the diagnosis

Breast clinic at Dr. Rami Hamed Center provides better option for the diagnosis of breast cancer, breast cancer treatment and breast ultrasound.