Breast Diseases—Benign Tumors

Also called: Benign cancer, Benign neoplasms, Noncancerous tumors

Tumors are abnormal growths in your body. They can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren’t cancer. Malignant ones are. Benign tumors grow only in one place. They cannot spread or invade other parts of your body. Even so, they can be dangerous if they press on vital organs, such as your brain.

Tumors are made up of extra cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as your body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes, this process goes wrong. New cells form when your body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can divide without stopping and may form tumor.

Treatment often involves surgery. Benign tumors usually don’t grow back.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

• Biopsy – polyps (Medical Encyclopedia)
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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

• Breast – premenstrual tenderness and swelling (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Breast biopsy — stereotactic (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Breast biopsy — ultrasound (Medical Encyclopedia)
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• Breast lump (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Breast MRI scan (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Breast pain (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Breast self exam (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Breast skin and nipple changes (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Fibroadenoma – breast (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Fibrocystic breast disease (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Gynecomastia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Intraductal papilloma (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Nipple problems (Medical Encyclopedia)