What do lumps in the breast feel like

However, sometimes a breast lump will be fixed, or stuck, to the chest wall. In general, regardless of how you are positioned, when you feel an abnormality in the breast — if it feels different or new — you should reach out to the medical team for an evaluation.

You should have a familiarity with your body and what the breast normally feels like, including its normal shape, appearance, and texture.

Generally, women are advised to analyze their breasts in the shower with soapy fingers to get a nice feel of the normal tissues. If you do that and have some familiarity with your normal breast tissue, and then find something different, you should reach out to your medical team.

Hard lumps in the breast can be either benign or malignant. The feel of the lump itself is rarely enough to determine if the lump is a cancerous one or not. Cysts , which are fluid-filled lumps, are common in the breast and are benign. They form when fluid builds up inside breast glands, and tend to be smooth or round. Fibroadenomas, which are benign tumors made up of glandular and connective breast tissue, are usually smooth and firm or rubbery to the touch.

Both of these conditions tend to affect younger women; fibroadenomas are most common in women in their 20s and 30s, and cysts are most common in women under Smith Center. Simple imaging techniques, such as a mammogram or breast ultrasound, can usually provide reassurance that the breast lump is benign.

If necessary, a breast MRI or biopsy can be used to evaluate whether the lump is cancerous. Learn more about breast cancer from the Susan F. The treatment for breast cancer depends on the stage at diagnosis and is also often targeted to the specific tumor. In addition to surgery, treatments may include chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, or targeted therapies. On average, the doubling time for a breast cancer tumor, or time for a tumor to double in size, is approximately 50 to days.

The growth rate of a breast tumor varies based on the type of breast cancer, tumor characteristics, the age of the patient at diagnosis, and menopausal status. Inflammatory breast cancer tumors and triple negative breast cancer tumors tend to grow faster than estrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative tumors. Breast cancer in women of childbearing age is not common, and lumps found while breastfeeding are likely to be benign.

Breast changes while nursing are normal and may include a clogged milk duct or mastitis. However, it is important to report any new lump to your healthcare provider to make sure it is benign and get treatment to help alleviate any discomfort.

Mammograms have a black background with white and gray coloring to show breast tissue. Cancerous tumors typically show as a very defined, bright white spot, though dense breast tissue can make them harder to see.

A cancerous breast lump will usually be hard and immobile when you push on it. It may also be irregularly shaped. A non-cancerous breast lump may be smoother and spongy, and will move when pushed. Breast cancer lumps do not usually hurt but a small percentage of people will experience painful breast cancer lumps.

Breast lumps are very common. It is important that you regularly check your own breasts for breast lumps. If you notice a lump, there is no need to panic, but it is also important that you do not ignore or postpone getting care and treatment either. Be sure to seek medical attention if you notice a breast lump—call your healthcare provider within a few days so that you can be given a prompt appointment for imaging or an office visit.

Even benign growths generally need to be removed, treated, or carefully observed, so you will need medical attention whether you have breast cancer or not. Get honest information, the latest research, and support for you or a loved one with breast cancer right to your inbox. American Cancer Society. What Is Breast Cancer? Fibrosis and Simple Cysts in the Breast. Fibroadenomas of the Breast. Adenosis of the Breast. Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Duct Ectasia.

Daly Roger L. Milne, et al. Benign breast disease increases breast cancer risk independent of underlying familial risk profile: Findings from a Prospective Family Study Cohort.

Int J Cancer. Intraductal Papillomas of the Breast. Hyperplasia of the Breast Ductal or Lobular. Phyllodes Tumors of the Breast. Types of Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms. Breast Cancer Early Detection and Diagnosis. Treating Breast Cancer. The Medical Group of South Florida. What does a breast lump feel like? Published October 22, Metaplastic breast carcinoma presenting as benign breast lump. J Cancer Res Ther. Salemis NS.

Intracystic breast carcinoma. An important differential diagnosis in postmenopausal patients presenting with a rapidly growing breast cyst. Management and literature review. Breast Dis. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. You'll usually be told the results on the same day, although biopsy results take longer — you may have to wait about a week. Breast Cancer Now has more information about what to expect at a breast clinic appointment. Treatment for a breast lump depends on the cause.

Most are harmless and may go away on their own without treatment. They're often caused by something harmless like a non-cancerous tissue growth fibroadenoma or a build-up of fluid breast cyst.

Breast Cancer Now has more information about fibroadenoma and breast cysts.