Good News – Not All Breast Lumps Mean Cancer

Posted on Oct 16, 2011 | 4 comments

Good News – Not All Breast Lumps Mean Cancer

HEALTH & BEAUTY—

 
 
If you find a lump on your breast, it’s easy to think the worst. But not all breast lumps indicate cancer. There are various benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions a woman can—and probably will—have during her lifetime. Some of these are changes that occur during the menstrual cycle.

Fibrocystic breast disease affects about 60 percent of all women. Despite the name, this term is often used to describe generalized breast lumpiness, and is not a disease at all. Physicians and researchers now believe breast lumpiness is normal for many women.

The condition is common in women between the ages of 30 and 50. Women taking hormone replacement therapy may have more symptoms, while women who take birth control pills may have less. Although the exact cause is not known, fibrocystic breast disease is believed to be associated with hormones produced by the ovaries. It rarely occurs after menopause.

Fibrocystic lumpiness is sometimes described as “ropy” or “granular” and seems to become more obvious as a woman approaches middle age and the milk-producing glandular tissue gives way to softer, fatty tissue.

Signs of fibrocystic breast disease include:

• Dull, heavy pain and tenderness
• Dense, irregular and bumpy consistency in the breast tissue
• Changes that are usually in both breasts and more noticeable in the outer upper part of the breast
• Changes that may peak before each menstrual period and improve right afterward

Many of the symptoms will go away over time.

Having fibrocystic breast disease doesn’t mean you have an increased risk for cancer, but lumpiness in the breasts may make cancerous lumps harder to spot. In other words, knowing the normal shape and feel of your breasts is especially important.

 
 
Sources

Rite Aid – “Wellness”

“Breast Cancer: Early Detection.” American Cancer Society, accessed July 20, 2011. www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_Breast_Cancer_Early_Detection.asp.
“Fibrocystic Breast Disease.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastdiseases.html.
“SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Breast Cancer.” National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html.

“What are the Key Statistics for Breast Cancer?” American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/DetailedGuide/breast-cancer-key-statistics
 
 

Frank King
a King production