Breast lump

introduction

A lump in the breast frightens many women and worries them when they feel it in their breast or when the doctor finds it. The thought of breast cancer immediately comes to the fore. But breast lumps are not always a sign of cancer. There are other clinical pictures that can cause breast lumps. Nevertheless, it is important to have a gynecologist clarify a randomly felt lump as early as possible.

Here you can find the typical Signs of breast cancer.

causes

Breast lumps can result from one benign or malignant tissue changes be. Benign (benign) changes are caused by the Mastopathy, Cysts and the Fibroadenoma evoked.

Mastopathy is a common one Tissue change. She goes with chest pain and small nodules and usually occurs on both sides. Cysts are spherical to rounded, liquid-filled constrictions of Milk ducts which arise from glandular tissue and one Backwater cause of secretion. A fibroadenoma, i.e. a nodular change in the lobules of the mammary gland, usually causes no symptoms other than small, palpable lumps. In addition to these largely harmless breast lumps, there are also those malignant (malignant) tissue changes, breast cancer (breast cancer). This comes from either the milk ducts of the breast or the glandular lobes and can hereditary be or spontaneous occur.

Symptoms

Special symptoms shows a lump in the breast rather Rare. Pain and Feeling of tension do occur, but mainly play with the benign knot a role. If the lump in the breast is breast cancer, there is often no pain at all, but rather changes in shape or Breast growth on. Also swollen lymph nodes or skin changes like that Orange peel can arise. Retractions of the skin just above the lump and one reduced mobility The nodular tissue against the surrounding tissue are also symptoms that appear for one malignant lump speak.

Pain

Painful lumps in the chest even more tempting to make a worse prognosis. But it is precisely the benign nodes that cause pain in the early stages. Mastopathies, Cysts, sometimes that too Fibroadenoma cause dull pain, Pressure pain and Feelings of tension. Those pains can be observed especially shortly before the Menstruation, so they occur depending on the cycle.

Please also read our topic Chest pain when ovulating.

Pain of a burning, itchy character in the breasts is rarely found, but is almost always a sign of it malignant cancer and urgently require a medical examination.

Please also read our page Symptoms of breast cancer.

Detect lumps in the breast

There are lumps in the chest few symptoms and only visible from the outside when the Lump bulges the skin or indentations have arisen over the knot. Since this is only the case after the knot has grown for a long time, most knots are recognized beforehand by palpation. Either the woman feels the lump by chance, for example when showering, or it is found by the gynecologist during a visit to the Breast exam He feels.

So that you can recognize lumps in the breast in good time and initiate the appropriate therapy, it is recommended that every woman feels her breasts herself to scan for altered tissue or knots. The best way to facilitate self-examination is to stand in front of a mirror. First you look at your breasts from the outside. Important points here are about page size (usually a breast is naturally a little larger), shape and Texture of the skin. Also the Nipples require closer examination. One should judge here size, colour, shape and whether fluid leaks when the nipple is pressed. The next step is to palpate the breast. Examine the right breast with the left hand and the left breast with the right hand. The "unused" hand can gently lift the chest in order to facilitate full palpation. Now each breast is palpated one after the other with the three middle fingers. A systematic approach ensures that the entire breast is covered. One starts above, below that Collarbone on the sternum and works your way outwards on a horizontal line almost up to Armpit. This is done from top to bottom until the fold of the breast is reached. Finally, you should move the breasts all around with small, circular movements.massage“To assess the mobility of the tissue. Healthy breast tissue is soft and easy to move. Small bumps or denser tissue can occur, but are not a cause for concern since it is, for example, milk ducts or slightly denser glandular tissue.

If you notice irregularities during the self-examination, or if you are not entirely sure, you can do one at any time Gynecologist to seek certainty about what you should do in order to optimize the chances of recovery in the event of a serious illness.

Read here as well as yourself Recognize breast cancer can.

diagnosis

The cornerstone of diagnosing a lump in the chest is palpation. Experienced gynecologists are able to assess the lump on the basis of a palpation examination. This is followed by an ultrasound examination (sonography), which is often sufficient to give the all-clear.

If the ultrasound results are unclear, there is always the option of performing a mammography. During this examination, the breast is pressed between two plates and x-rayed from two sides. If there is an abnormal mammography result, a tissue removal (biopsy) is carried out and examined under the microscope in order to obtain information about the exact type of lump and to plan further therapy.

Read more on the subject at: Breast biopsy

therapy

Lumps in the breast are treated depending on the cause. This is how the Mastopathy mainly symptomatic treated. Cooling and loose fitting will help reduce pain. Medicinal is mainly with herbal remedies such as the Chaste tree treated, or with stronger symptoms ointments or tablets containing progestin.

Cysts often resolve on their own and do not need treatment. If there is a larger cyst, the doctor may pierce (puncture) the cyst to release its contents and relieve the discomfort. Fibroadenomas can be surgically removed if they cause discomfort. Treating a malignant lump in the breast is more difficult.

Please also read our pages Cyst in the chest and Fibroadenoma.

Since breast cancer carries the risk of forming metastases and thus also affecting other organs, surgical removal is the top priority in breast cancer.
Here, the lump and the surrounding healthy tissue must be removed, as well as any infected, nearby lymph nodes.

In general, attempts are made to remove as little breast tissue as possible. However, if there is a risk of spreading, a complete removal of the affected breast (radical mastectomy) may be necessary. After the operation, there is the option of either chemotherapy or anti-hormone therapy. Anti-estrogens, such as tamoxifen, are often used in anti-hormone therapy. Chemotherapy is intended to prevent relapses (recurrences) of the cancer and is therefore always used when lymph nodes are affected or the patient is particularly at risk of relapse due to genetic factors.

Follow-up examinations are extremely important after treatment is complete to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Regular visits to the gynecologist with discussions, gynecological examinations and imaging procedures, for example ultrasound, should therefore be attended regularly.

Breast lump when breastfeeding

During the breastfeeding period, especially in the first few days and weeks, the female breast is exposed to unusual stresses, and lumps sometimes form. These are usually elongated or strand-shaped. These are clogged milk ducts, a so-called milk congestion, which occurs when the baby does not properly "empty" certain parts of the breast at the beginning. Milk remains in the milk ducts, newly formed milk flows in, and finally there is a jam with the palpable hardening described above. Pain and a bulging, overheated chest are also symptomatic of congestion.

The symptoms should be treated by consistently emptying the breast, either by breastfeeding the child or by expressing the breast milk. Quark compresses or cooling pads also help to relieve symptoms. However, breast congestion should not only be treated immediately for short-term pain relief, but also to prevent the transition to breast inflammation (puerperal mastitis). Such inflammation is triggered by skin germs such as the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.
Once the chest becomes inflamed, the pain becomes significantly worse, and classic signs of inflammation such as redness, overheating, swelling and fever appear. Breast infections are associated with severe malaise, weakness and fatigue and must be treated with medication, antibiotics and milk-inhibiting drugs. In the worst case, the patient has to start weaning.

Please also read our page Maternal Problems During Breastfeeding.

Breast lump after weaning

Breastfeeding promotes the natural bond between mother and child. If there are no medical obstacles, mothers can breastfeed their children for the entire first year of life. From around the age of seven months, the child can also be offered other food. Many women start weaning between seven and twelve months of their baby's life. During this time, milk is still being produced in the mother's breast. If the baby suddenly starts to drink less, it sometimes happens that a milk duct becomes blocked.

Nodular changes, so-called milk cysts (galactoceles) develop. Milk cysts are very similar to the nodules that result from congestion, as both result from blocked milk ducts. Breast lumps caused by milk cysts are very tender and painful. As with blocked milk, a milk cyst can develop into breast inflammation (mastitis) and, in rare cases, into an accumulation of pus (abscess). Abscesses must be punctured or opened by the doctor, and antibiotic therapy is also used in most cases.

With a simple milk cyst, however, it is enough to cool the breast and massage it gently so that the lumps go away on their own after a few days. Further measures are then not required, so only need to be taken if the symptoms worsen, if you have a fever, feel very ill, or if the lumps enlarge.

Lump in the man's chest

Men usually have smaller breasts than women. Nevertheless, in men it is also a gland that is also affected by diseases. In addition to diseases that also occur in women, such as the causes of lumps in the male breast Mastopathy or that Fibroadenoma, mainly Cysts or benign swelling of the mammary gland (Gynecomastia). However, contrary to popular belief, there is also Breast cancer cases, malignant diseases of the mammary gland in men.

Some risk factors play a prominent role here. Elevated levels of estrogen, Testicular disease how mumps, excessive alcohol consumption, Injuries and taking Anabolic steroids are suspected of promoting the development of breast cancer. If men notice lumps in their breasts, they should have them examined by a doctor to rule out serious illnesses. Diagnosis and treatment depend on the respective cause, but hardly differ from that of women. Assuming that the breast lump is a harmless change, men tend not to go to the doctor at all or go too late. If the lump is actually breast cancer, it has often already spread or infected lymph nodes. Because of this, the prognosis of breast cancer in men is significantly worse than that of women.

forecast

Harmless knots are harmless and have a good prognosis. Fibroadenomas, Cysts and Mastopathies usually run after the symptoms have subsided without consequences. Affected women do not have an increased risk of further diseases.

Afflicts the woman Breast cancer, the prognosis depends mainly on which stage the cancer was discovered. Early stages in which the knot is still quite small, no daughter ulcers has developed and the surrounding lymph nodes are not affected, have a good chance of healing after surgical removal of the cancerous ulcer with the following chemotherapy or Irradiation. Lymph node involvement or formation of Metastases make treatment considerably more difficult and reduce the chances of full recovery. The chance of survival with breast cancer has risen continuously in recent years due to improved therapy.

prophylaxis

Every woman should take her preventive measures Breasts periodically feel it yourselfto examine the tissue for any changes. Also the Inspection visit at the gynecologist you should take it seriously and not put it off the back burner. Mammograms are not routinely performed, but can be performed at Breast cancer patients be carried out prophylactically if the gynecologist sees a reason to do so. As in every case is a healthy lifestyle with enough exercise, sport and a healthy diet an important factor in preventing illness.