Most women experience breast changes at some time. Your age, hormone levels and medicines you take may cause lumps, bumps and discharges.
If you have a breast lump, pain, discharge or skin irritation, see your health care provider. Minor and serious breast problems have similar symptoms. Although many women fear cancer, most breast problems are not cancer.
Some common causes of breast changes are
- Fibrocystic breast condition - lumpiness, thickening and swelling, often associated with a woman's period
- Cysts - fluid-filled lumps
- Fibroadenomas - solid, round, rubbery lumps that move easily when pushed, occurring most in younger women
- Intraductal papillomas - growths similar to warts near the nipple
- Blocked or clogged milk ducts
- Milk production when a woman is not breastfeeding
- Injury
National Cancer Institute
- Non-Cancerous Breast Conditions(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6X_Non_Cancerous_Breast_Conditions_59.asp?sitearea=
- Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understanding-breast-changes/
- Breast Lumps(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-lumps/MY00165/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Detecting and Treating Breast Problems(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZU73BK27C&sub_cat=326
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Facts for Life: Benign Breast Changes(Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - Links to PDF - http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedfiles/Content_Binaries/806-377a.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content_Binaries/806-377-SP.pdf
- Breast Awareness and Breast Self-Exam(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/faq/breast-self-exam.cfm
- Breast Biopsy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-biopsy/MY00301/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
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Breast Cyst Aspiration(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/breast/811.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/breast/811.printerview.html
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Breast Lumps - Biopsy(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/breastlumpsbiopsy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/breastlumpsbiopsyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Is It Breast Cancer? Procedures to Evaluate Breast Lumps(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-lump/WO00031/METHOD=print
- Needle Biopsy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/needle-biopsy/MY00088/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
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Stereotactic (Mammographically Guided) Breast Biopsy(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=breastbixr
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=breastbixr
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Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=breastbius
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=breastbius
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MedlinePlus: Mammography(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mammography.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/mammography.html
- Breast Calcifications(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-calcifications/MY00101/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Breast Cysts(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-cysts/DS01071/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Breast Problems in Women(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/519.printerview.html
- Fibrocystic Breast Changes(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZLF2SXODC&sub_cat=326
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Galactorrhea(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/breast/673.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/breast/673.printerview.html
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/lobular-carcinoma-in-situ/DS00982/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Mammary Duct Ectasia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/mammary-duct-ectasia/DS00751/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Mastitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/mastitis/DS00678/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Nipple Discharge(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/nipple-discharge/MY00467/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Nipple Dermatitis(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/nippleDermatitis.htm
- Supernumerary Nipple(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/infant/supernumeraryNipple.htm
- Breast Lump(DSHI Systems) - http://www.freemd.com/breast-lump/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
- Breast Pain(DSHI Systems) - http://www.freemd.com/breast-pain/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
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Breast Lumps - Biopsy(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/breastlumpsbiopsy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/breastlumpsbiopsyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Atlas of the Body: The Breast -- Disorders(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZ3F9G56JC
- Pictures of Breast Anatomy(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/pictures/breast_anatomy/index.jsp
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Breast Diseases(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Breast+Diseases%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Fibrocystic Breast Disease(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Fibrocystic+Breast+Disease%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Digital mammography-guided skin marking for sonographically guided biopsy of suspicious... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19234241&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Interpretation and clinical applications of breast MRI: self-assessment module. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19018051&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Automated classification of breast parenchymal density: topologic analysis of x-ray... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19020215&tool=MedlinePlus
- Breast Diseases -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=breast+diseases[majr]+NOT+(neoplasms[majr]+OR+fibrocystic+breast+disease[mh]+OR+lactation[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Fibrocystic breast disease -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=fibrocystic+breast+disease[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/member-lookup/disclaimer.cfm
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - http://www.acog.org/
- National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
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National Women's Health Information Center(Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://womenshealth.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://womenshealth.gov/espanol/
- Breast Problems(American Pediatric Surgical Association) - http://www.eapsa.org/parents/resources/breast_disorders.cfm
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How to Perform a Breast Self-Examination(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/bse.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/bse_esp.html
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I'm a Guy ... So How Come I'm Developing Breasts?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/question/just_guys/boybrst.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/boybrst_esp.html
- Why Are My Breasts Different Sizes?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/breast_size.html
- Why Are My Breasts Sore?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/sore_breasts.html
- Breast Problems in Men(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/520.printerview.html
- Gynecomastia (Enlarged Breasts in Men)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gynecomastia/DS00850/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Breast Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastcancer.html
- Mammography - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mammography.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html
Breast Diseases - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/breastdiseases.html