What Do Breast Cancer Lumps Feel Like?
- Originally Written By: Tricia Ellis-Christensen
- Revised By: C. Wilborn
- Edited By: O. Wallace
- Last Modified Date: 26 May 2013
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Copyright Protected:
2003-2013 Conjecture Corporation
Lumps in the breasts can be a serious concern, and people who perform regular self-exams often wonder exactly what breast cancer lumps feel like and how to tell them apart from non-cancerous, or benign, lumps. Breast cancer lumps are usually very hard and are often irregularly shaped. In the early stages, they may be about the same size as a pea, and can feel dimpled, much like the surface of a golf ball. Often, a cancerous lump cannot be moved around in the breast, and pressing on the area doesn't usually cause discomfort.
Another potential indicator that a lump is a cancerous is when the skin becomes dimpled or puckered right above it. If the lump is in the nipple, the nipple could become inverted; any lump accompanied by pink or bloody discharge may also be a cause for concern. Bruises on the breasts that appear suddenly can be a symptom of breast cancer, as well. Cancerous lumps may be found both near the surface of the breast and deeper inside, closer to the chest wall. They may also occur in the armpit area.
Not all breast lumps are cancerous. A fibroadenoma, for example, is a pea-size lump that is often benign. Unlike most breast cancer lumps, a fibroadenoma can usually be moved around in the breast, and most often appears in teen girls and women in their early 20s. Another benign lump that some women develop is a breast cyst. Though a cyst usually feels hard on the surface, it gives to pressure because it is filled with fluid. Cysts are usually not cancerous, but doctors will nearly always want to do a needle biopsy to make sure.
It is often easier to detect breast lumps when a person knows what his or her breasts feel like normally; many doctors recommend that women perform regular self-exams so that they can more easily notice any changes in the breast tissue. The glandular tissue of the breasts, which generally makes up the upper and outer parts, can naturally feel lumpy, and this texture can change over the course of a woman's menstrual cycle. Lumps that don't go away after a woman menstruates, or which feel different from the rest of the breast tissue, should be examined by a medical professional.
Anytime a person finds a lump in his or her breast, professional medical help should be sought to correctly identify it. Just because a lump doesn't feel like breast cancer lumps typically do does not mean that it's benign, and lumps that have the characteristics of breast cancer aren't always cancerous. The appearance of any type of lump in the breast is a matter best discussed with a health care professional, which should be done as soon as possible after it is discovered. Breast cancer that is treated early has a good prognosis; the five-year survival rate of people whose breast cancer was detected at an early stage was as high as 93% in 2010.
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anon336096
Post 9 |
@Anamur: A mammogram every six months is not a reasonable plan. That's way too much radiation. Way too much. @anon73019: By now, you have dealt with the pea-size area. But women must get to proper facilities and physicians who have not adopted the mantra - "It's your decision" - without giving thorough information. Go somewhere else. @fify: There's only like, a trillion dollars that have been contributed for "awareness" through pinkification, and some of that money is for breast exam instruction. Not only that, but you can read Susun Weed's Breast Cancer Breast Health book, which includes very helpful descriptions. Our breasts change quite a bit over the course of a month, and post-menopausal women's breasts also aren't static. Know your breasts. Don't leave it up to the doctors as if this was the 17th century.
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literally45
Post 8 |
@fify-- I agree with you but I think you can tell if you learn to regularly check your breasts at home with your hands.
My mom is a nurse and she taught me how to check my breasts for irregularities. I just feel my breast with one hand going in circular motions from the outer part to the inner, feeling for anything odd, like a clump.
I do this regularly so now I can tell apart what is breast tissue and fat. If there were to be a lump, I'm sure I would recognize it right away. |
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fify
Post 7 |
It's so hard to know what a cancer lump would feel like, especially when you've never seen or felt one before.
I can't tell what's going on with my breasts whatsoever. I just let the doctor check it for me. |
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anamur
Post 6 |
@anon73019-- But what is the knot exactly?
Is it a cyst, a benign tumor, what is it?
My sister has a cyst in her breast, it's kind of like yours, a small lump. It is not dangerous for her right now so she hasn't gotten it removed. But she has to get a mammogram every six months and an ultrasound to make sure the lump is not growing or changing.
I agree that you need to find out more details about this before you can make an informed decision about what to do. |
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anon295814
Post 5 |
I had a mammogram and was called back for another mammogram and an ultrasound of my right breast. I have a pea sized, what appears to be solid lump in the back of right breast. My doctor wants to biopsy it. I am so scared. I'm 46 and have no family history of breast cancer or really of any cancer in my family that I can think of.
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anon225264
Post 4 |
Get another doctor -- one who will discuss with you exactly what is going on.
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anon81666
Post 3 |
remove it for your own peace of mind and find another doctor. this guy sounds cold. |
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anon73019
Post 1 |
I have a hard pea sized knot in my right breast, I had a mammogram and ultrasound done. A doctor came in after to talk with me he didn't say a whole lot but that it was up to me to get it removed or to watch it closely! Do I watch it or get it removed? Very scared and need to know what is safest thing to do. |
