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Summary
Most women experience breast changes at some time. Your age, hormone levels, and medicines you take may cause lumps, bumps, and discharges (fluids that are not breast milk).
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 breast changes are
- Fibrocystic breast changes - lumpiness, thickening and swelling, often just before 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 milk ducts
- Milk production when a woman is not breastfeeding
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Diagnosis and Tests
- Breast Biopsy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Cyst Aspiration (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Breast Lump: Early Evaluation Is Essential (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Pain in Women (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Galactography (Ductography) (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Needle Biopsy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Stereotactic (Mammographically Guided) Breast Biopsy (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Ultrasound - Breast (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Adenosis (American Cancer Society)
- Benign Breast Conditions (American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Breast Calcifications (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Cysts (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Lumps (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Pain (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Rash (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Fat Necrosis and Oil Cysts (American Cancer Society)
- Fibroadenoma (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Fibrosis and Simple Cysts (American Cancer Society)
- Galactorrhea (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Hyperplasia (Ductal or Lobular) (American Cancer Society)
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Mammary Duct Ectasia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Mastitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Nipple Discharge (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Images
- Nipple Dermatitis (Logical Images)
- Supernumerary Nipple (Logical Images)
Health Check Tools
- Breast Lump (DSHI Systems)
- Breast Pain (DSHI Systems)
- Nipple Discharge (DSHI Systems)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Breast Diseases
(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Gynecomastia
(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Mastitis
(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Mastodynia
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Aspiration of Periprosthetic Seromas Using the Blunt SeromaCath.
- Article: Mutation Profiling of Usual Ductal Hyperplasia of the Breast Reveals Activating...
- Article: Accuracy of GE digital breast tomosynthesis vs supplementary mammographic views...
- Breast Diseases -- see more articles
- Fibrocystic breast disease -- see more articles
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
-
National Cancer Institute
Also in Spanish
- womenshealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Gynecomastia (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Why Are My Breasts Different Sizes? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)
- Why Are My Breasts Sore? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)
Patient Handouts
- Breast - premenstrual tenderness and swelling (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast biopsy -- stereotactic (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast biopsy -- ultrasound (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast infection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast lump (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast MRI scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast pain (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast self exam (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast skin and nipple changes (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Fibroadenoma - breast (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Fibrocystic breast disease (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Gynecomastia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Intraductal papilloma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Nipple problems (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish