Is That Lump In Your Breast Something Serious?

You should be able to enjoy your wonderful, sensational (and sensation-ful) breasts without fear or worry. Unfortunately, since breast cancer accounts for one in every three new cancers in women in the United States per year, worry is never far from your mind.

That’s why your latest discovery has you unnerved. Whether it was during a monthly breast self-exam, as part of romantic play, or simply while getting dressed, you found a lump. What is it? How can you find out if it’s something serious or something that can be ignored?

At Mass Medical Imaging, our expert physicians, Joseph Calandra, MD, and Karen Mass, MD, offer breast screening — including mammograms and diagnostic mammograms — so that you can get the answers you need about your breast health. In addition to regular screenings, we encourage you to contact us whenever you have a concern or question about your breasts.

Is that lump on your breast something serious? Here’s what you need to know about breast lumps and your health.

Most breast lumps are benign

The good news is that most breast lumps are benign. They’re also quite common. When you come for your breast screening, we can determine if you have a benign lump that you can ignore or easily treat, or a potentially cancerous lump that needs more investigation. Benign lumps include:

Cyst

A cyst is a fluid-filled sac that may be painful (or not). Cysts come and go according to where you are in your cycle. We might recommend draining a large or uncomfortable cyst.

Fibroadenoma

Fibroadenomas are hard masses composed of multiple clumps of benign breast tissue. Their borders tend to be regular and oval, as opposed to the ragged borders of a cancerous tumor. When we detect one on an ultrasound or a mammogram, however, we may need to take a biopsy to ensure that it’s benign.

Dense breast tissue

If you have dense breasts, you may sometimes feel a hard ridge or lump. Get familiar with your own breasts, and if you think something out of the ordinary, let us know right away. Also, feel free to ask questions when we perform a breast exam.

Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia (PASH)

Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia (PASH) is a long term for a hormonally driven mass that’s caused by an overgrowth of smooth-muscle and connective-tissue cells. Usually, we identify PASH during a breast screening. However, sometimes it’s large enough that you can feel it on your own. Unless it’s very large, PASH seldom needs treatment.

Scar tissue

Another form of benign lump may form due to fat necrosis after your breast has been injured. If you had a breast biopsy, breast surgery, or a breast injury, you may have a lump due to fat necrosis and scar tissue. Always contact us if you notice a new lump or bump after breast surgery or injury.

Vaccine reaction

If you’ve had a COVID shot, flu shot, or other vaccination recently, you may develop a lump under your armpit, where some lymph nodes reside. We may use ultrasound to investigate that lump’s composition. We may also schedule a follow-up ultrasound to be sure the lump returns to its normal size after a few months. 

You can’t distinguish benign from cancerous on your own

You may read on the internet that soft or movable breast lumps should be of no concern. However, you can’t tell by sensation alone whether a lump or bump is cancerous or not. In fact, a cancerous lump may start as a movable mass. Only a doctor can tell you for sure whether your lump can be ignored or investigated further.

The sooner you know, the better for you

Nobody wants to think about breast cancer. However, if you detect an abnormality in your breast, you owe it to your health and your peace of mind to find out what it is. Once you have an answer, we create an action plan. 

If the lump is benign and small, you may not need any treatment at all. Just be sure to conduct your monthly self-exams so that you can alert us to any changes.

If the lump is benign but large or painful, we may recommend treating or removing it. This may entail surgical removal or simply draining a cyst.

If we suspect that the lump is cancerous, we take a biopsy and send it to the lab right away. If it comes back as suspicious for cancer, we remove the lump and may recommend you to an oncologist. Removing and treating cancerous lumps ASAP gives you and your breasts the best possible chance for a long, happy, fulfilled, and cancer-free life.

If you have a lump in your breast, book a breast screening today. Call our team at 847-235-2415 or use our online appointment form.