| Conditions |
Features |
What Your Doctor May Recommend |
|
Cysts
|
-
Fluid-filled lumps
-
Usually not cancer
-
Occur most often in women ages 35-50
-
Often in both breasts
-
Some too small to be felt
|
-
Doctors often watch cysts over time or use fine-needle aspiration to remove the
fluid from the cyst.
-
Ultrasound may be used to see whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid.
|
| 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.
|
| Macrocalcifications |
-
Appear on a mammogram as large calcium deposits
-
Often caused by aging
-
Usually not cancer
|
-
Have another mammogram to have a closer look at the area
-
A biopsy may be used for diagnosis
|
| Mass |
-
May be round and smooth or have irregular borders
-
May be caused by normal hormone changes
|
-
A mammogram and/or ultrasound may be used to see whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid
-
A biopsy may be used for diagnosis
|
| Microcalcifications |
-
Appear on a mammogram as tiny specks of calcium that might be found in an area
of rapidly dividing cells
-
If they are found grouped together in a certain way, they may be a sign of
cancer.
|
-
Have another mammogram to have a closer look at the area
-
A biopsy may be used for diagnosis
|
