Are there normal lumps in breasts

This type of lump may be a sign of breast cancer or a benign breast condition such as a cyst or fibroadenoma. Share Your Story or Read Others. Skip to content. Fibroadenomas are not usually tender although tenderness may be felt just before menstruation , and are generally movable when palpated rolled with pads of the fingers. Papillomas: These small wart like lumps grow in the lining of the mammary ducts, near the nipple. The often result in a discharge, either clear or bloody, from the nipple.

As we have seen, most breast lumps are benign, non-cancerous cysts or tumors. Although they may require surgical removal to prevent their interfering with normal breast function, they will not invade surrounding tissue; they are not life threatening.

Malignant breast tumors, however, if not detected and treated early, will continue to grow, invading and destroying adjacent normal tissue. If unchecked, they will spread to surrounding lymph nodes; then, by a process called metastasis, cancer cells will break away from the tumor and spread, through the lymph system and bloodstream, to other areas of the body.

At this stage, breast cancer is deadly, and chances of cure are far lower one-half or less than in the early, localized stage. Commonly developing from the mammary glands or ducts, such malignant lumps generally about 50 percent appear in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast, extending into the armpit, where tissue is thicker than elsewhere. Eighteen percent of breast cancers occur in the nipple area, 11 percent in the lower out quadrant, and 6 percent in the lower inner quadrant.

Ideally women of all ages should checking their breasts every four to six weeks so they can spot any unusual changes quickly and which may save their lives, according to Breast Cancer Care. This week saw World Cancer Day , a campaign which started in to promote research, improve treatment and raise awareness of cancer which affects Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies.

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Recommended Meet the woman who founded Sudan's only breast cancer clinic Saudi Arabia women break Guinness World Record for human ribbon The phrases we need to stop using about cancer World Cancer Day: Why is the disease still a taboo? More about Breast lump Breast Cancer. When they are deep in breast tissue, cysts will feel like hard lumps because they are covered with tissue.

Your healthcare provider may find a cyst during a physical exam. He or she may confirm the diagnosis with a mammogram or ultrasound. You may also have a fine-needle aspiration. This involves guiding a very fine needle into the cyst and drawing fluid from it aspiration.

This also serves as the treatment for this condition. Once the fluid is aspirated, the cyst collapses and disappears. But, cysts can reappear later, in which case they are simply drained again. Cysts are seldom cancerous malignant.

Fibroadenomas are solid, smooth, firm, noncancerous benign lumps that are most commonly found in women in their 20s and 30s. They are the most common benign lumps in women and can occur at any age. They are increasingly being seen in postmenopausal women who are taking hormone therapy. The painless lump feels rubbery and moves around freely. You may find one yourself.