Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentBreast Cancer RiskFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Breast Cancer Risk
Frequently Asked Questions
Anintraductal papillomais a type of benign (noncancerous) growth of the breast. Papillomas occur in the cells lining the milk duct (intraductal) and grow outward like a wart. The word papilloma describes the finger-like shape of the cells. Intraductal papillomas usually grow close to the nipple, but they can be found anywhere in the duct system of the breast.
Sometimes papillomas will causenipple discharge. Discharge is bloody or clear fluid coming out of the breast.
Science Photo Library / Getty Images
Intraductal papilloma is not very common or dangerous. Less than 10% of benign breast lesions are a type of intraductal papilloma.These growths are also very unlikely to develop into cancer.However, be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any lumps or nipple discharge so you can be evaluated.
This article will present an overview of the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of intraductal papillomas in the breast.
Intraductal papillomas are different frompapillary carcinomaof the breast. This is a rare type of breast cancer also known as intraductal papillary carcinoma. It accounts for less than 1% of allinvasive breast cancers.
Symptoms of Intraductal Papilloma
Symptoms of intraductal papillomas are related to the size and location of the cell growth in the breast. There are two different types of intraductal papillomas. Each has its own symptoms.Papillomatosisis a closely related condition with similar symptoms. However, papillomatosis is not the same as intraductal papilloma.
Types and symptoms of intraductal papilloma include:
Papilloma Skin Growths: What to Know
Specific causes of intraductal papilloma are not known. The cells that line milk ducts (epithelialcells) grow more than usual, but scientists do not know why. However, there are some common factors.
Intraductal papilloma occurs most often in women. It can develop at any age but is most common in women between the ages of 35 and 55. Most of the time, it is a noncancerous (benign) condition.
Risk factors for any kind of breast tumor include:
Is Intraductal Papilloma Related to HPV?While certain strains ofhuman papilloma virus(HPV) can increase your risk of some types of cancer, there isn’t any conclusive evidence to suggest that HPV causes intraductal papillomas.
Is Intraductal Papilloma Related to HPV?
While certain strains ofhuman papilloma virus(HPV) can increase your risk of some types of cancer, there isn’t any conclusive evidence to suggest that HPV causes intraductal papillomas.
How Intraductal Papilloma Is Diagnosed
If you find a lump in your breast or have nipple discharge, talk to your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Because there are many types of possible breast tumors, your healthcare provider will recommend testing and treatment based on your specific condition. While most papillomas are benign,it is important to determine if your tumor is cancerous or not.
Your healthcare provider may order breast imaging, such as amammogramorultrasound. They will also check to see if you are up to date on your breast cancer screening. Some providers may recommend a clinical breast exam.
Ductogram
Your healthcare provider also may recommend a test of the milk duct system called aductogram(also called a galactogram). This test can help find the cause of your nipple discharge.
For a ductogram, you may be asked to squeeze a small bit of discharge from your nipple. This helps the radiologist (a doctor who uses medical imaging like X-rays) see which duct is leaking. Once the correct duct is determined, the radiologist gently inserts a fine, hollow needle into the milk duct and injects some contrast fluid into the duct network. This contrast fluid will show up on a mammogram so the doctor can see the duct system.
There are many different presentations of nipple discharge and many potential causes. A ductogram image may help identify the cause of your nipple discharge.
Biopsy
To help in diagnosis, your doctor may also order abiopsy.It is often impossible to tell if a growth is cancerous just from imaging tests like mammograms and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
For your biopsy, a small sample of the lump or milk duct is removed for testing in a lab to determine if the growth is cancerous. Sometimes, the fluid from the nipple discharge is also tested. One kind of biopsy procedure is called a surgical biopsy, in which the entire tumor is removed.
The American College of Radiology recommends aneedle biopsy. These are less invasive, lower cost, and have fewer complications than surgical biopsy.
There are many different presentations of nipple discharge, as well as many potential causes. While precancers and cancers can be the cause, they rarely are.
Treatment for Intraductal Papilloma
Depending on your biopsy results, your doctor may recommend a watch-and-wait approach (close monitoring without treatment at the current time). Other times, your healthcare team will recommend a complete cutting out (excision) of your intraductal papilloma.
There are two kinds of surgical treatment to remove breast tumors:
Your treatment team will work with you to determine what kind of removal, if any, is right for you.
Sometimes the biopsy shows areas ofatypical hyperplasia. This is aprecancerous conditionin which there are extra layers of cells lining the duct, and some of the cells are irregular in shape and size.
If you have had any of these conditions, ask your healthcare provider about the recommendations you need to follow for breast cancer surveillance. You may need additional screening beyond the standard recommendations for your age.
Summary
An intraductal papilloma of the breast is a type of non-cancerous growth in the milk duct lining. A common symptom is clear or bloody discharge from the nipple. While this may appear concerning, the good news is this is rarely a sign of cancer. However, there is a small risk that it may be a more serious problem. You should contact your healthcare provider and have your breast checked. A simple needle biopsy is often all that is required to ensure that an abnormal breast lump or drainage is benign.
Breast papillomas have a rare but possible risk of being breast cancer. A breast biopsy allows a special doctor called a pathologist to look at a sample of the breast papilloma with a microscope to determine if you have cancer. Depending on your biopsy results, your healthcare team will recommend whether to remove the papilloma.
Usually, single intraductal papillomas do not increase your risk for breast cancer. However, if your healthcare provider recommends a biopsy and there are abnormal cells, you may have an increased risk for cancer. Multiple papillomas or papillomatosis also slightly increase your breast cancer risk.Talk to your healthcare provider about how often and what kind of breast cancer screening you should have.
An intraductal papilloma is a wartlike growth of extra cells in your breast milk ducts. As long as your milk flows, you may be able to breastfeed. However, if you are having nipple discharge, pain, or are awaiting a biopsy, you may be advised not to breastfeed. Check with your doctor for recommendations for your situation.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Intraductal papillomas of the breast.Fraker JL, Clune CG, Sahni SK, Yaganti A, Vegunta S.Prevalence, impact, and diagnostic challenges of benign breast disease: A narrative review.Int J Womens Health. 2023;15:765-778. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S351095Cancer Research UK.Intraductal papilloma.Breastcancer.org.Peripheral intraductal papillomas.NIH. National Cancer Institute.Intraductal papilloma.Sun YS, Zhao Z, Yang ZN, et al.Risk factors and preventions of breast cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2017;13(11):1387-1397. doi:10.7150/ijbs.21635Balci FL, Uras C, Feldman SM.Is human papillomavirus associated with breast cancer or papilloma presenting with pathologic nipple discharge?Cancer Treatment and Research Communications. 2019;19:100122. doi:10.1016/j.ctarc.2019.100122Johns Hopkins Medicine.Papillary breast cancer.Alikhassi A, Curpen B.Breast ductography: To do or not to do? A pictorial essay.Insights Imaging. 2023;14(1):201. doi:10.1186/s13244-023-01547-xHan SH, Kim M, Chung YR, et al.Benign intraductal papilloma without atypia on core needle biopsy has a low rate of upgrading to malignancy after excision.J Breast Cancer. 2018;21(1):80-86. doi:10.4048/jbc.2018.21.1.80Bloom C.Breast papillomas: A comprehensive review.Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2015;31(5):282-289. doi:10.1177/8756479315599544American College of Radiology.ACR practice parameter for the performance of ultrasound-guided percutaneous breast interventional procedures.NHS. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals.Breast duct excisions.Columbia Surgery.Breast surgeries & procedures.Karadeniz E, Arslan S, Akcay MN, Subasr ID, Demirci E.Papillary lesions of breast.Chirurgia (Bucur).2016;111(3):225-229.Khan S, Diaz A, Archer KJ, et al.Papillary lesions of the breast: To excise or observe?Breast J. 2018;24(3):350-355. doi:10.1111/tbj.12907Additional ReadingLi A, Kirk L.Intraductal papilloma. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Intraductal papillomas of the breast.Fraker JL, Clune CG, Sahni SK, Yaganti A, Vegunta S.Prevalence, impact, and diagnostic challenges of benign breast disease: A narrative review.Int J Womens Health. 2023;15:765-778. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S351095Cancer Research UK.Intraductal papilloma.Breastcancer.org.Peripheral intraductal papillomas.NIH. National Cancer Institute.Intraductal papilloma.Sun YS, Zhao Z, Yang ZN, et al.Risk factors and preventions of breast cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2017;13(11):1387-1397. doi:10.7150/ijbs.21635Balci FL, Uras C, Feldman SM.Is human papillomavirus associated with breast cancer or papilloma presenting with pathologic nipple discharge?Cancer Treatment and Research Communications. 2019;19:100122. doi:10.1016/j.ctarc.2019.100122Johns Hopkins Medicine.Papillary breast cancer.Alikhassi A, Curpen B.Breast ductography: To do or not to do? A pictorial essay.Insights Imaging. 2023;14(1):201. doi:10.1186/s13244-023-01547-xHan SH, Kim M, Chung YR, et al.Benign intraductal papilloma without atypia on core needle biopsy has a low rate of upgrading to malignancy after excision.J Breast Cancer. 2018;21(1):80-86. doi:10.4048/jbc.2018.21.1.80Bloom C.Breast papillomas: A comprehensive review.Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2015;31(5):282-289. doi:10.1177/8756479315599544American College of Radiology.ACR practice parameter for the performance of ultrasound-guided percutaneous breast interventional procedures.NHS. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals.Breast duct excisions.Columbia Surgery.Breast surgeries & procedures.Karadeniz E, Arslan S, Akcay MN, Subasr ID, Demirci E.Papillary lesions of breast.Chirurgia (Bucur).2016;111(3):225-229.Khan S, Diaz A, Archer KJ, et al.Papillary lesions of the breast: To excise or observe?Breast J. 2018;24(3):350-355. doi:10.1111/tbj.12907Additional ReadingLi A, Kirk L.Intraductal papilloma. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Intraductal papillomas of the breast.Fraker JL, Clune CG, Sahni SK, Yaganti A, Vegunta S.Prevalence, impact, and diagnostic challenges of benign breast disease: A narrative review.Int J Womens Health. 2023;15:765-778. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S351095Cancer Research UK.Intraductal papilloma.Breastcancer.org.Peripheral intraductal papillomas.NIH. National Cancer Institute.Intraductal papilloma.Sun YS, Zhao Z, Yang ZN, et al.Risk factors and preventions of breast cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2017;13(11):1387-1397. doi:10.7150/ijbs.21635Balci FL, Uras C, Feldman SM.Is human papillomavirus associated with breast cancer or papilloma presenting with pathologic nipple discharge?Cancer Treatment and Research Communications. 2019;19:100122. doi:10.1016/j.ctarc.2019.100122Johns Hopkins Medicine.Papillary breast cancer.Alikhassi A, Curpen B.Breast ductography: To do or not to do? A pictorial essay.Insights Imaging. 2023;14(1):201. doi:10.1186/s13244-023-01547-xHan SH, Kim M, Chung YR, et al.Benign intraductal papilloma without atypia on core needle biopsy has a low rate of upgrading to malignancy after excision.J Breast Cancer. 2018;21(1):80-86. doi:10.4048/jbc.2018.21.1.80Bloom C.Breast papillomas: A comprehensive review.Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2015;31(5):282-289. doi:10.1177/8756479315599544American College of Radiology.ACR practice parameter for the performance of ultrasound-guided percutaneous breast interventional procedures.NHS. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals.Breast duct excisions.Columbia Surgery.Breast surgeries & procedures.Karadeniz E, Arslan S, Akcay MN, Subasr ID, Demirci E.Papillary lesions of breast.Chirurgia (Bucur).2016;111(3):225-229.Khan S, Diaz A, Archer KJ, et al.Papillary lesions of the breast: To excise or observe?Breast J. 2018;24(3):350-355. doi:10.1111/tbj.12907
American Cancer Society.Intraductal papillomas of the breast.
Fraker JL, Clune CG, Sahni SK, Yaganti A, Vegunta S.Prevalence, impact, and diagnostic challenges of benign breast disease: A narrative review.Int J Womens Health. 2023;15:765-778. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S351095
Cancer Research UK.Intraductal papilloma.
Breastcancer.org.Peripheral intraductal papillomas.
NIH. National Cancer Institute.Intraductal papilloma.
Sun YS, Zhao Z, Yang ZN, et al.Risk factors and preventions of breast cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2017;13(11):1387-1397. doi:10.7150/ijbs.21635
Balci FL, Uras C, Feldman SM.Is human papillomavirus associated with breast cancer or papilloma presenting with pathologic nipple discharge?Cancer Treatment and Research Communications. 2019;19:100122. doi:10.1016/j.ctarc.2019.100122
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Papillary breast cancer.
Alikhassi A, Curpen B.Breast ductography: To do or not to do? A pictorial essay.Insights Imaging. 2023;14(1):201. doi:10.1186/s13244-023-01547-x
Han SH, Kim M, Chung YR, et al.Benign intraductal papilloma without atypia on core needle biopsy has a low rate of upgrading to malignancy after excision.J Breast Cancer. 2018;21(1):80-86. doi:10.4048/jbc.2018.21.1.80
Bloom C.Breast papillomas: A comprehensive review.Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2015;31(5):282-289. doi:10.1177/8756479315599544
American College of Radiology.ACR practice parameter for the performance of ultrasound-guided percutaneous breast interventional procedures.
NHS. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals.Breast duct excisions.
Columbia Surgery.Breast surgeries & procedures.
Karadeniz E, Arslan S, Akcay MN, Subasr ID, Demirci E.Papillary lesions of breast.Chirurgia (Bucur).2016;111(3):225-229.
Khan S, Diaz A, Archer KJ, et al.Papillary lesions of the breast: To excise or observe?Breast J. 2018;24(3):350-355. doi:10.1111/tbj.12907
Li A, Kirk L.Intraductal papilloma. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
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