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Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women



About Your Breasts






Types of Breast Changes






Finding Breast Changes






Breast Changes That Are Not Cancer






Getting a Second Opinion






Follow-Up Tests to Tell You More






Finding the Support You Need






For More Information






Chart 1: Possible Mammogram Results






Chart 2: Possible Biopsy Results



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Chart 2: Possible Biopsy Results and Follow-Up Care

Conditions Features What Your Doctor May Recommend
Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia (ADH)
  • Abnormal cell growth
  • Getting more mammograms and/or seeing the doctor more often
  • Taking tamoxifen
Cancer
  • Abnormal cells dividing without control in the breast
  • Could spread to other parts of the body
  • Surgery
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation therapy
  • Hormonal therapy
  • Biological therapy
  • Treatment may depend on the stage of the disease
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
  • Cancer cells in the breast ducts
  • Has not spread to other parts of the breast
  • May develop into cancer that spreads to other parts of the breast (invasive breast cancer)
  • Breast-sparing surgery and radiation therapy
    (with or without tamoxifen)
  • Breast-sparing surgery without radiation therapy
    (with or without tamoxifen)
  • Total mastectomy (with or without tamoxifen)
Fat Necrosis
  • Painless, round, firm lumps
  • Formed by damaged fatty tissue
  • May occur after surgery to the breast
  • Often occurs in response to a bruise or blow to the breast, although a woman might not recall being injured
  • Sometimes removed with surgical biopsy because it can look like cancer
Fibroadenoma
  • Hard, round, benign growth
  • Feels like rubber; moves around easily
  • Usually painless
  • Often found by the woman herself
  • Appears on mammogram as smooth, round lumps with clearly defined edges
  • Can get bigger when the woman is pregnant or nursing
  • Sometimes diagnosed with fine-needle aspiration
  • If the fibroadenoma does not appear normal, the doctor may suggest taking it out to make sure it is benign
Intraductal Papilloma
  • Growth inside the nipple that looks like a wart
  • May cause nipple discharge
  • Surgery to remove the growth
Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)
  • Abnormal cells found in the lobules
  • Not cancerous but associated with a greater chance of getting cancer in either breast in the future
  • Regular check-ups to look for signs of breast cancer
  • Tamoxifen may be suggested
  • Evaluation of breast cancer risk by your doctor
Sclerosing Adenosis
  • Too much tissue growth in lobules
  • Can contain calcifications
  • Often painful
  • Changes usually very small but can produce lumps
  • Clinical breast exam
  • Annual mammogram
  • More tests if breast changes are noted on breast self-exam, clinical breast exam, or mammogram

More information on these conditions can be found on www.cancer.gov or by calling 1-800-4-CANCER.

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