Breast lump

A breast lump is a mass or area of thickening that feels different from the surrounding breast tissue. The single most important message is a reassuring one: most breast lumps are benign, not cancer. Common benign causes include fluid-filled cysts, fibroadenomas (smooth, firm, mobile lumps that are especially common in younger women), and the general lumpiness that many women notice with their menstrual cycle, which can come and go with hormones. Infections and blocked ducts can also cause a tender lump, particularly during breastfeeding. However, a breast lump can be the first sign of breast cancer, and it is not possible to tell benign from cancerous by feel alone — which is why any new, persistent or changing lump should be checked. Features that particularly warrant prompt assessment include a hard, painless lump, one that is fixed and does not move freely, a lump growing over time, an associated skin change (dimpling or puckering), a nipple change or bloodstained discharge, or a lump in the armpit. Assessment is done not by a blood test but by examination and imaging (ultrasound and, depending on age, mammogram), and a needle biopsy if needed. Getting a lump checked early means benign causes can be confirmed and reassured, and the small proportion that are cancer can be caught when treatment works best.

• Benign cysts — fluid-filled sacs, often tender and changing with the cycle.
• Fibroadenoma — a smooth, firm, mobile lump, common in younger women.
• Cyclical breast changes (fibrocystic change) — general lumpiness varying with hormones.
• Infection or a blocked duct — a tender lump, especially during breastfeeding.
• Fat necrosis or a lipoma — benign lumps after injury or of fatty tissue.
• Breast cancer — a smaller proportion, but the reason any new lump should be checked.

A breast lump is assessed clinically — by examination and imaging (breast ultrasound, and a mammogram depending on age), with a needle biopsy if the lump needs it — rather than by a blood test, and blood tests are not used to diagnose the cause of a lump. Tumour markers such as CA 15-3 have no role in evaluating a new lump; they are used only to monitor an already-diagnosed breast cancer. Mediora.AI can hold marker results in context for someone under monitoring, but the evaluation of a new breast lump belongs with a clinician and imaging — the assessment is a hands-on and imaging one, not a lab test.