Brief overview
- Causes and forms:Benign causes and forms of lumps in the breast: cysts, fibroadenomas, lipomas, mastopathy. Malignant causes of lumps in the breast: breast cancer.
- When to see a doctor?Always as soon as possible when a lump in the breast is noticed.
- Diagnosis: taking medical history in conversation, palpation, ultrasound, mammography (X-ray examination of the breast), biopsy, puncture.
- Early detection: regular palpation of the breasts between the third and seventh day of menstruation.
Nodes in the breast: causes and forms
The female breast consists of glandular, fatty and connective tissue. All these types of tissue can change. Doctors estimate that 90 percent of all women will feel a lump in their breast in their lifetime. Most of the time, these lumps are benign. They develop due to hormones and disappear on their own.
Benign lumps in the breast: cysts
These are fluid-filled cavities in glandular lobules (lobules). They can develop, for example, if the outlet of a glandular lobule closes during pregnancy or during breastfeeding. The milk produced in the glandular lobule can then no longer flow out and accumulates – a cyst develops.
Benign oil cysts contain tissue fluid with a high fat content. They form when fatty tissue is injured, for example after an operation.
Above a certain size, cysts press on the surrounding tissue and displace it – this can cause pain. However, the risk of breast cancer is not affected by cysts.
Benign lumps in the breast: fibroadenomas
Benign lumps in the breast: lipomas
Lipomas are benign, slow-growing neoplasms of fatty tissue. They tend to feel soft and are easy to move because they are not fused to the skin. They also do not increase the risk of breast cancer.
Benign lumps in the breast: mastopathy
Mastopathy is often accompanied by cysts on the glandular lobules. Doctors then speak of “cystic mastopathy”. If, on the other hand, mainly connective tissue cells grow, the condition is known as fibrous mastopathy. The most common is a combination of both forms – “fibrous-cystic mastopathy”.
Grade classification of mastopathy
Physicians distinguish three degrees of mastopathy, which is important for diagnosis and prognosis:
- Grade I: increased connective tissue, dilated milk ducts, sometimes cysts. No tendency to malignant further development. About 70 percent of all mastopathies are in this category.
- Grade II: benign cell growths in the milk ducts with little increased risk of breast cancer. About 20 percent of mastopathies fall under grade II.
Malignant lumps in the breast: breast cancer
Most lumps in the breast are harmless. But sometimes also breast cancer (Mammakarzinom) can be behind it. In Germany each eighth woman becomes ill in the course of its life at this malicious tumor illness. Every year, there are around 70,000 new cases in this country.
In most cases, breast cancer originates from the milk ducts, sometimes also from the glandular lobes. In addition, there are some rare forms of breast cancer.
Nodes in the breast in men
In addition, men can also develop breast cancer. It is estimated that around 750 men in Germany are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Unfortunately, many men are late in seeking medical advice when they have breast complaints. This is because many of them think breast cancer is a disease that only affects women. Often, the cancer is then so far advanced that successful treatment is hardly possible.
Lumps in the breast: When to see a doctor?
In most cases, those affected recognize a lump in the breast themselves, for example when showering, applying cream or regularly palpating the breasts. Then action should be taken quickly – in principle, every lump in the breast should be examined by a doctor immediately.
Always see a doctor immediately if you notice nodular changes in your breast. The first point of contact for women is usually the gynecologist and for men the family doctor.
Lumps in the breast: diagnosis
First, the doctor will conduct an initial consultation with you (anamnesis) to obtain your medical history. Important questions here are, for example:
- When did you notice the lump in the breast?
- Has the lump changed since then (enlarged/shrunk)?
The medical professional will then examine your breasts to determine if the lump is benign or malignant. Important examination procedures include:
- Palpation examination: palpating both breasts and the lymph nodes in the armpits, the doctor can tell whether the lump is hard or soft, how large it is, and whether it can be moved against the skin of the breast. This information provides initial clues as to the type of lump (cyst, fibroadenoma, etc.).
- Puncture: Larger cysts are punctured to confirm the diagnosis. In the process, the physician sucks fluid out of the cyst with a fine hollow needle. The cells contained in the fluid are then analyzed under the microscope.
- Biopsy: If the mammogram provides evidence of breast cancer, a biopsy usually follows. This involves taking a tissue sample from the lump, which is then examined by a pathologist. The result reliably shows whether the lump in the breast is benign or malignant.
Node in the breast: therapy
Treatment of cysts
Small cysts (< 1 cm) that are inconspicuous and do not cause any symptoms do not necessarily need to be treated. However, they should be checked regularly by ultrasound.
Larger, painful cysts are punctured to drain the fluid and thus reduce the pressure on the surrounding tissue.
Treatment of fibroadenomas
Treatment of lipomas
If a lump in the breast turns out to be a lipoma, regular check-ups are sufficient for further treatment.
Treatment of mastopathy
Cysts associated with mastopathy can be treated with puncture.
Treatment of breast cancer
Breast cancer must be treated in any case. The form of therapy depends on how large the malignant lump in the breast is, how aggressive the cancer cells are and how far they have already spread in the body – in the lymph nodes or even already in other organs.
Important components of breast cancer therapy include:
- Chemotherapy: Patients are given drugs that slow down fast-growing cells – such as cancer cells (cytostatics, chemotherapeutics).
- Radiation therapy: This involves combating the cancer cells with high-energy electromagnetic radiation.
- Anti-hormone therapy: This can help if the tumor is growing under the influence of hormones.
Lumps in the breast: what you can do yourself
To detect possible tumors as early as possible, you should regularly palpate your breasts yourself, including the armpits. As a woman, it is best to do this between the third and seventh day of your menstruation. This is because the breasts are soft for hormonal reasons, making it easier to detect a lump in the breast.
