Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSignsCancer SymptomsBenign Breast LumpsWhen to Seek Medical CareNext StepsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Signs
Cancer Symptoms
Benign Breast Lumps
When to Seek Medical Care
Next Steps
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s entirely natural to worry after finding a lump in your breast. Fortunately, though, finding a lump does not necessarily mean you havebreast cancer.
Noncancerous masses can also form in the breast and do not pose the same threat to your health as cancerous ones. Noncancerous lumps are far more common, and only 3% to 6% of breast lumps are due to cancer.
To ensure that you’re taking care of your health, visit your healthcare provider and undergo the necessary tests to determine if the lump iscancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).
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Signs a Lump Is Cancer
Thesigns of a cancerous lumpdiffer from those of a benign lump in the breast. Some possible signs a lump could be cancerous include:
Are Breast Cancer Lumps Painful?Although breast cancer lumps can, in rare cases, cause pain, noncancerous lumps are more likely to be painful.
Are Breast Cancer Lumps Painful?
Although breast cancer lumps can, in rare cases, cause pain, noncancerous lumps are more likely to be painful.
Additional Cancer Signs and Symptoms
People with breast cancer may experience other signs along with a lump in the breast. For example, the skin’s texture on the breast may change and start to resemble an orange peel with dimpling. Nipples on the breast may also change and retract into the body. The armpit, which contains some breast tissue, may also present with enlargedlymph nodes.
Some nonspecific symptoms (those that could be from a variety of conditions) may also develop, such as:
Other Signs to Look Out For
Nipple Color and Other Changes
Benign or noncancerous lumps feel different than cancerous ones. Compared to the firmness of breast cancer lumps, benign ones are often squishy and feel closer to soft rubber.
The lump itself will also be well-defined, meaning it will be easy to tell where it starts and stops. Unlike with cancerous lumps that are fixed in place, benign lumps will be moveable within the breast.
Other signs of a noncancerous breast lump can include:
Different types of lumps can grow in the breast, including:
Lump Changes During Your Menstrual CycleIf a breast lump is noncancerous, the symptoms such as pain or tenderness will worsen during your period. The lumps could also grow or shrink throughout your menstrual cycle, depending on the stage you are in at the time. These changes are referred to as cyclic breast changes and are thought to occur because of hormone fluctuations.
Lump Changes During Your Menstrual Cycle
If a breast lump is noncancerous, the symptoms such as pain or tenderness will worsen during your period. The lumps could also grow or shrink throughout your menstrual cycle, depending on the stage you are in at the time. These changes are referred to as cyclic breast changes and are thought to occur because of hormone fluctuations.
Benign Breast Changes That Mimic Breast Cancer
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
While most lumps are noncancerous, you should see your healthcare provider if you find a lump or notice any breast changes you’re unsure of. Benign lumps are typically harmless, but it’s impossible to self-diagnose a fibrocystic lump without the proper tests.
Why You Shouldn’t Hesitate to See a Healthcare ProviderAny lump you find should prompt a visit to your healthcare provider. You will want to be sure the lump is not a sign of cancer. Breast cancer is highly survivable, especially if caught early, so see a provider as soon as you can for a diagnosis and treatment, if necessary.
Why You Shouldn’t Hesitate to See a Healthcare Provider
Any lump you find should prompt a visit to your healthcare provider. You will want to be sure the lump is not a sign of cancer. Breast cancer is highly survivable, especially if caught early, so see a provider as soon as you can for a diagnosis and treatment, if necessary.
After finding a lump in your breast, you can contact your primary care provider and explain any symptoms you are experiencing and how the breast lump feels. They can direct you to a specialist who will perform the necessary tests to determine if the lump is benign or cancerous.
Some tests done to check for breast cancer include:
Do not wait to see your healthcare provider. Any breast changes should be addressed as soon as you notice them.
What Type of Specialist Do I Need to See?For any tumor, you will see anoncologist. These medical professionals specialize in cancer diagnosis and treatment, but they also help to diagnose benign masses.
What Type of Specialist Do I Need to See?
For any tumor, you will see anoncologist. These medical professionals specialize in cancer diagnosis and treatment, but they also help to diagnose benign masses.
Summary
Lumps in the breast can be both cancerous and noncancerous. Cancerous lumps tend to feel firm, almost like a rock within the breast. They will also feel as though they are attached to skin or other tissue within the breast and won’t move from their place. Noncancerous tumors feel softer and rubbery and can move within the breast.
Other symptoms can also help you distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous lumps. Pain and swelling are typically associated with noncancerous lumps, whereas fatigue, weakness, and musculoskeletal pain are more likely to be present in someone with a cancerous lump.
Regardless of how the lump feels, you should see your medical provider for any lumps or breast changes you notice. They can run the appropriate tests to determine if a lump is harmless, needs to be removed, or is cancerous and requires treatment.
A Word From Verywell
Finding a lump in your breast can be scary because your initial thought may be breast cancer. While lumps in the breast don’t always mean cancer, they can. When breast cancer is caught early, it is highly treatable, so it’s essential to take notice of any breast changes and have them checked out.
Lumps in the breast can feel hard or soft. How the lumps feel will be a good indicator of whether they are cancerous. Hard masses are more likely to be cancerous than soft ones.Learn MoreLump in Breast: Cancerous or Noncancerous
Lumps in the breast can feel hard or soft. How the lumps feel will be a good indicator of whether they are cancerous. Hard masses are more likely to be cancerous than soft ones.
Learn MoreLump in Breast: Cancerous or Noncancerous
A moveable lump is a lump that you can move around within the breast. In many cases, moveable lumps are simply cysts that do not pose the same threat to your health as cancer. Breast cancer lumps are typically stationary.Learn MoreBreast Masses: Cancerous Tumor or Benign Lump?
A moveable lump is a lump that you can move around within the breast. In many cases, moveable lumps are simply cysts that do not pose the same threat to your health as cancer. Breast cancer lumps are typically stationary.
Learn MoreBreast Masses: Cancerous Tumor or Benign Lump?
Learn MoreHow Breast Cancer is Diagnosed
7 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.Stachs A, Stubert J, Reimer T, Hartmann S.Benign breast disease in women.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2019 Aug 9;116(33-34):565-574. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2019.0565American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Koo MM, von Wagner C, Abel GA, McPhail S, Rubin GP, Lyratzopoulos G.Typical and atypical presenting symptoms of breast cancer and their associations with diagnostic intervals: Evidence from a national audit of cancer diagnosis.Cancer Epidemiol.2017 Jun;48:140-146. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2017.04.010American Cancer Society.Fibrocystic changes in the breast.My Health Alberta.Fibrocystic breasts.Maajani K, Jalali A, Alipour S, Khodadost M, Tohidinik HR, Yazdani K.The global and regional survival rate of women with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Breast Cancer.2019 Jun;19(3):165-177. doi:10.1016/j.clbc.2019.01.006Wang L.Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer.Sensors (Basel).2017 Jul 5;17(7):1572. doi:10.3390/s17071572
7 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.Stachs A, Stubert J, Reimer T, Hartmann S.Benign breast disease in women.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2019 Aug 9;116(33-34):565-574. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2019.0565American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Koo MM, von Wagner C, Abel GA, McPhail S, Rubin GP, Lyratzopoulos G.Typical and atypical presenting symptoms of breast cancer and their associations with diagnostic intervals: Evidence from a national audit of cancer diagnosis.Cancer Epidemiol.2017 Jun;48:140-146. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2017.04.010American Cancer Society.Fibrocystic changes in the breast.My Health Alberta.Fibrocystic breasts.Maajani K, Jalali A, Alipour S, Khodadost M, Tohidinik HR, Yazdani K.The global and regional survival rate of women with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Breast Cancer.2019 Jun;19(3):165-177. doi:10.1016/j.clbc.2019.01.006Wang L.Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer.Sensors (Basel).2017 Jul 5;17(7):1572. doi:10.3390/s17071572
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.
Stachs A, Stubert J, Reimer T, Hartmann S.Benign breast disease in women.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2019 Aug 9;116(33-34):565-574. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2019.0565American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Koo MM, von Wagner C, Abel GA, McPhail S, Rubin GP, Lyratzopoulos G.Typical and atypical presenting symptoms of breast cancer and their associations with diagnostic intervals: Evidence from a national audit of cancer diagnosis.Cancer Epidemiol.2017 Jun;48:140-146. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2017.04.010American Cancer Society.Fibrocystic changes in the breast.My Health Alberta.Fibrocystic breasts.Maajani K, Jalali A, Alipour S, Khodadost M, Tohidinik HR, Yazdani K.The global and regional survival rate of women with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Breast Cancer.2019 Jun;19(3):165-177. doi:10.1016/j.clbc.2019.01.006Wang L.Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer.Sensors (Basel).2017 Jul 5;17(7):1572. doi:10.3390/s17071572
Stachs A, Stubert J, Reimer T, Hartmann S.Benign breast disease in women.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2019 Aug 9;116(33-34):565-574. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2019.0565
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.
Koo MM, von Wagner C, Abel GA, McPhail S, Rubin GP, Lyratzopoulos G.Typical and atypical presenting symptoms of breast cancer and their associations with diagnostic intervals: Evidence from a national audit of cancer diagnosis.Cancer Epidemiol.2017 Jun;48:140-146. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2017.04.010
American Cancer Society.Fibrocystic changes in the breast.
My Health Alberta.Fibrocystic breasts.
Maajani K, Jalali A, Alipour S, Khodadost M, Tohidinik HR, Yazdani K.The global and regional survival rate of women with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Breast Cancer.2019 Jun;19(3):165-177. doi:10.1016/j.clbc.2019.01.006
Wang L.Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer.Sensors (Basel).2017 Jul 5;17(7):1572. doi:10.3390/s17071572
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