HOME HEALTH LIBRARY AREAS ... ABOUT US Benign Breast Lumps and Other Benign Breast Changes Breast changes are common. Women experience various kinds of breast lumps and other breast changes. These changes include those that normally occur during the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, and with aging, as well as several types of breast lumps and other changes. Most breast lumps and other changes are not cancer. Among breast conditions for which biopsies are often done, the results show that some 80 percent are not cancer. But only a doctor can tell for sure whether a condition is malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancer). Each breast has 15 to 20 sections, called lobes, each with many smaller lobules. The lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are all linked by thin tubes called ducts. These ducts lead to the nipple in the center of the dark area of skin called the areola. Fat fills the spaces between lobules and ducts. There are no muscles in the breasts, but muscles lie under each breast and cover the ribs. These normal structures inside the breasts can sometimes make them feel lumpy. Such lumpiness may be especially noticeable in women who are thin or who have small breasts. From the time a girl begins to menstruate, her breasts undergo regular changes each month. Many women experience swelling, tenderness, and pain before and sometimes during their periods. At the same time, one or more lumps or a feeling of increased lumpiness may develop because of extra fluid collecting in the breast tissue. These lumps normally go away by the end of a woman's period. Eventually, about half of all women will experience symptoms such as lumps, pain, or nipple discharge. Generally, these symptoms disappear with menopause. | |
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