Diagnosis

The cornerstone of diagnosing a lump in the breast is palpation. Experienced gynecologists are able to assess the lump by means of a palpation. This is followed by an ultrasound examination (sonography), which is often sufficient to give the all-clear.

If the ultrasound results are unclear, there is always the possibility to perform a mammography. During this examination the breast is pressed between two plates and x-rayed from two sides. If the mammography result is conspicuous, a tissue sample (biopsy) is taken and examined under the microscope in order to obtain information about the exact type of lump and to plan further therapy.

Therapy

Depending on the cause, lumps in the breast are treated. Mastopathy is mainly treated symptomatically. Cooling and loose-fitting clothes help to reduce the pain.

Medicinal treatment is mainly done with herbal remedies such as monk’s pepper, or in the case of stronger symptoms with gestagen-containing ointments or tablets. Cysts often regress on their own and do not need to be treated. If there is a larger cyst, the doctor may puncture the cyst to release the contents and relieve the symptoms.

Fibroadenomas, if they cause discomfort, can be surgically removed. More difficult is the treatment of a malignant lump in the breast. and fibroadenoma.

Since breast cancer carries the risk of metastasis and thus of affecting other organs, surgical removal is the first step in the treatment of breast cancer. In this case, the node with surrounding healthy tissue must be removed, as well as any lymph nodes nearby that may have been affected. In general, we try to remove as little breast tissue as possible.

However, if there is a risk of spreading, a complete removal of the affected breast (radical mastectomy) may be necessary. After the operation, there is the option of either chemotherapy or anti-hormone therapy. Antihormone therapy often involves the use of antiestrogens, such as tamoxifen.

Chemotherapy is intended to prevent relapses (recurrences) of cancer and is therefore always used when lymph nodes are affected or the patient is particularly at risk of relapse due to genetic factors. Follow-up examinations are extremely important after treatment is completed in order to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Regular visits to the gynaecologist with consultation, gynaecological examination and imaging procedures, such as ultrasound, should therefore be carried out regularly.