Breast Lump - Causes, Symptoms, Images, Treatment, Recovery

It may be surprising and concerning to find a lump in the breast. However, it is important to remember that most breast lumps are noncancerous and do not affect a woman’s long-term health. Several reasons can cause a breast lump. Although most breast lumps aren’t dangerous, one should consult a healthcare professional to have them evaluated and find out if treatment is needed. 

But what is a breast lump? The following article explains its meaning, types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment, along with breast lump images. Read on to find out.

Disease Name	Breast lump
Symptoms	Discharge from the nipple, Pain, Redness or darkness of nearby skin, Heat in the surrounding area, Fever, Nausea and vomiting, Swollen lymph glands
Causes	Breast cysts, Fibroadenomas, Fibrocystic breast changes, Fat necrosis, Intraductal papilloma, Lipomas, Infection, Breast cancer
Diagnosis	Mammogram, Breast Ultrasound, Breast MRI, Fine-Needle Aspiration, Biopsy
Treated by	Plastic Surgeon
Treatment options	Home remedies, Allopathic Treatment, Lumpectomy, Mastectomy

1. Breast lumps are tissue growths that develop within the breasts. A lump in the breast can be a sign of cancer. However, about eight out of ten breast lumps are noncancerous or benign.
2. Depending on the type, a breast lump may be small or large and feel spongy or hard. While some lumps cause pain, others may go unnoticed until diagnosed during an imaging test.
3. It is best to visit a doctor to examine the lump and determine the most suitable breast lump treatment. 

A lump in the breast can develop for several reasons. The two types of breast lumps are cancerous and non-cancerous. 

1. Non-cancerous lumps: The size, texture, and feel of benign lumps can vary from one lump to another. Common non-cancerous breast lumps include:
   1. Breast cysts
   2. Fibroadenoma
   3. Abscesses
   4. Fat necrosis
   5. Intraductal papillomas
   6. Lipoma
2. Cancerous lumps: A cancerous breast lump can appear in the breast or underarm. While some people may not notice any symptoms, for others, the symptoms of breast cancer may resemble those of other benign breast lumps. Therefore, it is recommended to seek medical care if any changes in the breast occur. 

Normally, the breast tissue feels lumpy and may have a tenderness that comes and goes with menstrual periods. A lump in the breast may change how the breast normally feels. The symptoms of breast lumps depend on their type.

1. Breast cysts: A breast cyst may either cause no symptoms or one or more of the following:
   1. A smooth and rubbery breast lump under the skin
   2. Discharge from the nipple
   3. Pain
2. Fibroadenoma: The symptoms of fibroadenoma include:
   1. A round, solid lump
   2. Smooth borders
3. Abscesses: The symptoms of abscesses include:
   1. A lump under the skin
   2. Pain and swelling
   3. Discharge from the nipple
   4. Redness or darkness of nearby skin
   5. Heat in the surrounding area
   6. Fever
   7. Nausea and vomiting
   8. Swollen lymph glands
4. Fat necrosis: One may experience the following symptoms:
   1. Solid lumps with fat or oil in the centre
   2. A change in the breast’s shape
   3. Pain in some cases
5. Intraductal papillomas: The symptoms include:
   1. A round or oval lump under the nipple
   2. A clear or bloody discharge
6. Lipoma: Lipomas usually cause breast lumps that are:
   1. Soft
   2. Movable
   3. Dome-shaped
   4. Painless
   5. Vary in size
7. Breast cancer: The warning signs of a cancerous lump in the breast include:
   1. Thickening or swelling of the breast
   2. Redness on the breast or around the nipple
   3. Dimpling of the skin, like an orange
   4. Skin irritation
   5. Pain in the nipple
   6. Nipple inversion (nipples that point inward)
   7. Bloody discharge
   8. Changes in the breast’s size and shape

A lump in the breast can develop due to several causes. Some of the most common breast lump causes include:

1. Breast cysts: Breast cysts are fluid-filled dilated milk ducts that usually affect both breasts. Cysts in the breasts can be one or many and small or large. Their size and tenderness change with the menstrual cycle. Cysts may appear before menstrual periods and disappear afterwards. 
2. Fibroadenomas: These noncancerous lumps move quickly under the skin when touched. A fibroadenoma grows larger during pregnancy, menstruation, or while using hormone therapy. 
3. Fibrocystic breast changes: Fibrocystic breast changes occur when there are changes in the breast’s fibrous tissue. With these changes, women may feel fullness and tenderness in their breasts. Many women experience these changes during their menstrual cycles, which improve afterwards. 
4. Fat necrosis: It is a condition in which fat tissue in the breast dies due to a severe injury, surgery, or radiation to the breast tissue or nearby nerves. When these cells die, the remaining cells form an oil cyst. Necrosis and oil cysts can form a painless, hard lump in the breast. 
5. Intraductal papillomas: They are small, noncancerous tumours in the milk ducts located away from the nipple. Papillomas are made of various blood vessels and tissues that can form a lump in the breast. They usually affect women between 30 and 50 years of age. 
6. Lipomas: Breast lipomas are benign breast lesions that develop from soft tissue cells called mesenchymal cells.  
7. Infection: Bacterial infections such as mastitis can form noncancerous breast abscesses that especially develop during breastfeeding. 
8. Breast cancer: A cancerous tumour growing in the breast tissue can also cause a lump.

Breast lumps are more common in women than in men. However, it can develop in anyone. The following are the potential risk factors for breast lump that might put an individual at a higher chance of developing the disease:

1. Ageing
2. Obesity
3. Having dense breasts
4. Family history of breast cancer
5. Recurrent infection in the breast
6. Injury in the breast
7. Postmenopausal hormonal therapy
8. Oral use of contraceptives

There isn’t much to do to prevent breast lumps. However, there are several ways to keep the breasts healthy, such as:

1. Perform self-exams to be aware of any breast changes
2. Talk to a healthcare provider about regular mammogram screenings 
3. Know the density of the breasts and how it may affect the mammogram
4. Maintain a healthy weight
5. Eat a nutritious diet
6. Exercise regularly
7. Reconsider using hormone replacement therapy

Breast lumps can be frightening. Although most of these lumps in the breast are benign, it is essential to address them to prevent further complications. While regular breast self-exams can help detect changes that might be early signs of infection or breast cancer, other diagnostic tests are used to confirm the presence of a lump and decide the most suitable treatment approach. 

Breast Self-Examination

1. Women should perform a breast self-exam every month to feel and look for changes in the breast. Regular self-exams of the breast can help maintain breast health and detect cancer in its early stages, increasing its chances of being cured. 
2. While most lumps in the breast detected during a self-exam are not cancerous, one must still report these changes to their doctor. Doctors usually do not recommend the self-exam technique for breast cancer screening, but it can help understand the normal consistency of their breasts. The following steps for conducting a breast exam:
3. Looking in the mirror with arms down by the side, look for changes in the size, shape, or colour of the breast and visible swellings or lumps. 
4. Look for the same changes with arms raised overhead. 
5. Use the right hand to examine the left breast and vice versa. Put light, medium, and firm pressure with the three middle fingers on every part of the breast to check for lumps, thick spots, or any other changes. 
6. Squeeze the nipples gently to check for watery, milky, or bloody discharge. 
7. While lying down, place the right arm behind the head and feel the right breast with a firm, smooth, circular motion, including under the arm and down the ribcage. Repeat on the other side. 
8. Repeat the above step while sitting or standing, preferably in the shower.  

Diagnostic Tests

If a person feels an unusual lump in the breast, they must visit a doctor and get it diagnosed. During the initial appointment, the doctor will ask about the symptoms, medical history, and family history. They will also conduct a physical exam of the breast. The patient may need to undergo the following tests if the doctor is unable to identify the cause of the breast lump:

1. Mammogram: It is an X-ray of the breast that helps identify breast abnormalities. Comparing a mammogram with previous screenings can show how the breast tissue has changed. 
2. Breast Ultrasound: The test uses sound waves to produce detailed breast images. It helps identify whether a breast lump is solid or fluid. 
3. Breast MRI: This imaging test uses a magnetic field to create detailed pictures of the inside of the breast. MRI may help evaluate breast lumps that are not visible in a mammogram or breast ultrasound. 
4. Fine-Needle Aspiration: In this procedure, the doctor removes fluid from a lump in the breast using a needle. Noncancerous lumps disappear when this fluid is removed. However, if the liquid is cloudy or bloody, it is analysed in a laboratory for cancer cells. 
5. Biopsy: It is a procedure in which the doctor removes a tissue sample for analysis under a microscope. A breast biopsy is performed to rule out cancer. There are various types of biopsies, which include:
   1. Vacuum-assisted biopsy: The tissue sample is removed from the breast using a probe with a vacuum inserted into a small incision in the skin. 
   2. Core needle biopsy: A large needle is guided by ultrasound to remove the tissue sample. 
   3. Stereotactic biopsy: After taking images of the breast from different angles using a mammogram, the doctor uses a needle to take a tissue sample. 
   4. Incisional biopsy: The doctor removes a part of the breast lump. 
   5. Excisional biopsy: The doctor removes the entire lump in the breast, along with surrounding tissue.

How to prepare for a doctor’s consultation? 

While preparing for a doctor consultation, the patient must make sure to

1. Take a prior appointment
2. Write down the symptoms
3. Note down the medical and family history
4. Enlist the questions for the doctor

The following are the questions that a patient can expect from the doctor during the consultation:

1. When did you first notice the lump?
2. Do you experience pain in the breast?
3. Do you have any nipple discharge?
4. Do you experience any other symptoms of breast lump?
5. Do the symptoms occur in one or both breasts?
6. When did you have your last period?
7. When was your last mammogram?
8. Are you taking any hormone medicines like hormone replacement therapy or contraceptive pills? 
9. Have you had breast lumps in the past?
10. Do you have a history of breast problems in your family?

Some basic questions that a patient can ask the doctor for breast lumps include:

1. What are the possible breast lump causes?
2. Am I at risk of developing more breast lumps?
3. Should I look out for signs of complications?
4. What kind of tests do I need?
5. How frequently should I undergo a mammogram and other cancer screenings?
6. Can I lower my risk of having breast cancer? How?
7. Which is the best breast lump treatment for me?
8. Can I use hormone replacement therapy?
9. Which birth control method should I use?

Breast lumps generally do resolve on their own without needing any treatment. However, if an individual has breast lumps for an extended period, the lumps may grow in size, and the symptoms may also worsen, leading to significant pain, discomfort and reduced quality of life. In that case, the gynaecologist may suggest one of the following methods for piles treatment:

Treatment of Breast Lump without surgery

Not all breast lumps require treatment. A lump in the breast due to an injury or certain types of breast lumps, like fibroadenoma, does not require removal or treatment. 

1. Home remedies

Breast lumps can be cured with home remedies, such as:

1. Wearing a supportive bra
2. Applying a warm compress or an ice pack to relieve pain
3. Avoiding caffeine
4. Taking vitamin E or vitamin B supplements
5. Drinking apple cider vinegar in a small amount of water
6. Taking iodine as a nutritional supplement
7. Applying a castor oil pack to the breast once a week
8. Consuming honey in a glass of water

Allopathic Treatment

The doctor must determine the cause of the breast lump before deciding on a treatment approach. The breast lump treatment options include:

1. Antibiotics to treat breast infections like mastitis
2. Fluid drainage for a breast cyst that is large and painful 
3. Cancer therapies if the lump is proven to be cancerous in the biopsy. This includes:
   1. Chemotherapy: It is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to fight or destroy fast-growing cancer cells in the body. 
   2. Radiation therapy: It is a treatment that uses high doses of radioactive rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. 

Treatment of Breast Lump with surgery

Surgery for breast lump treatment is usually required only when the lump is cancerous. The surgical treatment options for cancerous lumps include:

1. Lumpectomy: It is a procedure in which the surgeon removes the lump (breast cancer tumour) and a small amount of the surrounding healthy tissue. 
2. Mastectomy: In this procedure, the entire breast tissue is removed to treat breast cancer. 

Procedure Type	Procedure Cost
Lumpectomy	₹ 30,000 to ₹ 1,00,000
Mastectomy	₹ 45,000 to ₹ 1,10,000

Please Note: The treatment approach and selection procedure is based on the type of breast lump, the location and size of the lump, the spread of the cancer, and the doctor’s opinion. 

Breast lumps are usually benign and harmless. However, some breast lumps may cause certain complications if left untreated. These complications include:

1. Increase in size
2. Redness, pain or focal tenderness in your breast
3. Breast changes that include nipple inversion (turning inward), dimpled skin, or bloody/clear nipple discharge
4. Increased chances of breast cancer
5. Reduced quality of life

When to see a doctor?

One should consult their healthcare professional if they experience the following symptoms:

1. An unusual lump in the breast or under the arm
2. An area of the breast that is noticeably different or harder than the rest of the breast
3. A lump that does not disappear after menstruation
4. A lump that grows bigger or changes shape
5. Puckering or dimpling in the breast skin
6. Nipple inversion
7. Bloody discharge from the nipple
8. Redness and pain in the breast

A person suffering from a lump in the breast due to small breast masses or breast cysts should eat and avoid certain food items. Here’s what a patient should include in their diet for breast lumps:

1. Flaxseeds: They are a source of omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation. They also contain fibre and lignans that block the effect of lousy oestrogen on breast tissue. 
2. Cruciferous Vegetables: Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and brussels sprouts contain Indole-3-Carbinol, a natural compound that helps in the accretion of estrogen by the liver and curbing tumour growth. 
3. Fibre-Rich Food: Sources of fibre include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and seeds such as flaxseeds. 
4. Blueberries: They can help decrease breast tumour cell growth. Eating blueberries or adding blueberry powder to smoothies, granola, yoghurt, or oatmeal can offer cancer-fighting benefits. 
5. Wheat Germ: It contains multiple nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help alleviate breast pain. The benefits of wheat germ can be obtained by including it in the diet or by consuming a few drops of wheat germ oil in a glass of water and honey. 

Foods one should minimise or avoid include:

1. Caffeine: Avoid all caffeinated beverages and food like coffee, tea, and chocolates, as they can worsen the symptoms of breast lumps. 
2. Alcohol: Avoiding alcohol can enable the liver to produce more oestrogen in the body, combating breast disease. 
3. Saturated food: Foods like eggs, meat, cheese, and high-fat dairy products can worsen the symptoms. 
4. Salty foods: Cutting out salt levels can reduce retained fluids and the size of the cyst.