r/TwoXChromosomes • u/purpleandorange1522 • 8d ago
What are non cancer things a breast lump could be? (Not asking for medical advice)
I am not asking for medical advice, I know that isn't allowed. I have been to my GP who has referred me to get a scan, I'm just waiting for that referral letter. It's on a rush but is still going to take a couple of weeks.
What I'm looking for is reassurance of other things that it could be to help so I'm not over thinking. I know a lump could be something else, but I'm kind of scared to Google because I don't want to hear the worst case scenarios.
I'm 30. I will be going to the scan appointment no matter what, but I appreciate any other options to think about whilst I wait for it. Thanks.
46
u/bruhwhat42069 8d ago
hey, it could be a cyst or fibroadenoma, which are benign. glad you’re getting it checked anyway. it’s tough waiting, but remember our healthcare system needs more support, especially for women’s health. stay strong, and focus on taking care of yourself. we need more awareness and funding for women's health issues. sending positive vibes your way.
14
u/lmFairlyLocal 8d ago
Could also be a lipoma! (A ball (-oma) of fat (lipo-)) which are fairly common and can pop up all over the body.
29
u/SideStreetHypnosis 8d ago
A friend had a lump that turned out to be a cyst and not cancer. There’s also something similar called a fibroadenoma. I had to look up the spelling on the second one. I’ll link the site as it has more info.
Common breast lumps that aren’t cancer.
I’m a cancer survivor and am sending you love and light.
3
21
u/naturallyparanoid 8d ago
Dense tissue. I felt some unusual things and went to my Dr. Had to get an ultrasound as well as a more indepth breast scan. I just have dense breasts I guess.
7
5
u/girly_pop_pop 8d ago
it's understandable to feel anxious while waiting. breast lumps can be caused by many non-cancerous things like cysts, which are fluid-filled sacs, or fibroadenomas, which are solid but benign. sometimes, hormonal changes during your cycle can also lead to temporary lumps. even infections can cause lumps due to inflammation. it's great you're getting it checked, but remember most lumps aren't cancerous. stay positive and avoid too much googling, it usually leads to unnecessary stress. take care.
4
u/just_breathe18 8d ago
I’ve had an 11 mm cyst in one breast for about 5 years. As long as I go for my annual mammogram it’s fine. This year I did a breast mri just to be sure.
4
u/karpaediem 8d ago
I had a lump just under my breast and its a cyst they happen to everyone as you get older. Still go get it looked at to be safe and confident, but the odds are vastly in your favor of it being a cyst.
5
u/Ilove2fly 8d ago
So my sister had a mammography. Had a calcified spot. Then a specialized mammo. Then a biopsy. It was a calcified spot. But they are serious about making sure it is a benign thing.
5
u/gravitydefiant 8d ago
So many things! I just had a terrifying incident involving something that turned out to be "dense stromal fibrosis" (quoting from the lab report here). There are cysts. My friend is for some reason susceptible to mastitis even though she is not and never had breast fed.
What I learned over the last couple of months is that it's very, very common to get called back after a mammogram, and most of the time that ends up being nothing.
7
u/Lyeta1_1 8d ago
A whole slew of different kinds of (pretty equally boring) cysts. Swollen lymph nodes for boring reasons. Scar tissue for boring reasons.
I had a lump and pain last year—freaked out. It was just hormone driven swelling. Boring.
3
u/Useful-Deer8471 8d ago
I felt a lump in my breast a few months ago and got it checked. They did an ultrasound and said it was a fibroadenoma (they also did a biopsy just to be 100% sure), which is a type of benign tumour. Apparently it’s quite common for women in their 20s and 30s to get them.
3
u/LegitimateCandy_939 8d ago
I have had two lumps checked out. One was a benign cyst and the other was a benign fibroadenoma
3
u/alwaysupside-down 8d ago
Wife had a lump. Dr told her there was a 3% on average chance it could be cancer. So 97% chance yours will be something else. For my wife it was cancer and she is now 16 years cancer free and my hero.
2
2
u/StrangersWithAndi 8d ago
I have quite a large, hard lump they had to biopsy because it looked so much like cancer on the mammogram and felt like it to touch, but it's totally benign. It's a lipoma, and it just hangs out I guess. It's basically just a lump that doesn't hurt anything. I've had it for almost 15 years now and it's fine every time they check it.
I know inflamed or infected lymph nodes can also cause concern, especially on the sides towards the armpits, but they're perfectly harmless, too.
Good luck! I'll be thinking of you!
2
u/Persnicketyvixen 8d ago
I was told by my first gynecologist that I have dense breast tissue, which would make it more likely to get false positives on mammograms.
Then she told me something that cracked me up, “They feel kind of like a bowl of chili!”
2
u/TheWanderlustDoc 8d ago
Cysts could be it. One time I was like 27/28 I had a swollen lump that was very painful and was terrified. Turns out it was an infected gland. A round of antibiotics fixed it (not giving medical advice, just reassuring you it was an easy fix in my situation). Best of luck!!! The wait sucks and I’m so sorry, I remember crying a lot thinking the worst when I was I a similar situation.
2
u/DoctorBulldog 8d ago
Mine was a hematoma! I’m a veterinarian with ADHD, and occasionally will get whacked by an unruly animal and then forget it happened. Found a lump, had a mammogram and ultrasound, and got cleared.
2
u/Alexis_J_M 8d ago
Non cancerous fibroid.
Non cancerous cyst full of fluid -- they run in my family. Stick in a needle, drain, done.
Non cancerous infected milk duct. Annoying mammogram, annoying ultrasound, antibiotics, done.
2
u/Equal_Sun150 8d ago
I'm kind of scared to Google because I don't want to hear the worst case scenarios.
First time these kind of things happen are scary. I'm sending "hope it's just a piffle" vibes.
Once you are cleared, it's best to educate yourself about the crazy things that can happen to a woman's body. And don't just Google, the first thing that pops up is now AI, which I consider BS. Go to the specific medical sites.
Our physiques are more complex than men, IMO, and confusing stuff can happen. Even the best of doctors are usually overwhelmed these days and things they say are often a straight WHOOSH! over one's head. It's less scary to be able to say "oh yeah. I've read about that sort of thing."
2
u/oceansunset83 8d ago
In my case, it’s a cluster of fatty cells near the nipple that look curious, but after having an ultrasound, are nothing serious. And when I was 19, it was just a hardened ball of nothing that was biopsied after being removed. Don’t go with the worst case scenario, it’s oftentimes nothing.
2
2
u/bulldog1425 8d ago
Cyst, fibroadenoma, intramammary lymph node, intraductal papilloma, fibrous tissue, fat necrosis, lipoma. Lots of options for it to be completely benign!!
2
u/SnapDragonZeta 8d ago
I've had one lump, and my sister has had five
All six between us turned out to be benign fibroadenoma, something like 30% of women will develop one during their lifetime
sending hugs your way, I know it is stressful - be kind to yourself, and lean on your friends x
2
u/Redkris73 8d ago
In my case it was found to be scar tissue, they thought I'd whacked my boob against something (or possibly my toddler had at some point while feeding as a baby) In the event, nothing to worry about :)
1
1
u/PandoraClove Taking Up Space 8d ago
I had a 3cm fluid-filled cyst. It was rounded and shifted position when touched. Dr. aspirated it and all was well. But my mother had cancer; the lump was asymmetrical and hard, and didn't move when touched. Mom had a full mastectomy and survived; she died of heart disease about 8 years later.
1
u/lot22royalexecutive 8d ago
32F and my lump was PASH (pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia). There’s so many things it could be other than cancer.
1
u/cloppotaco 8d ago
My mom gets benign cysts allll the time in her boobs. They’ll even hurt sometimes and even stick around. She’s gotten them checked very consistently but has told me her breasts feel like they have rocks in them if you squeeze them due to the cysts.
1
1
u/TylerDarkness 8d ago
I had a lump removed at a similar age to you. I had an ultrasound scan but they weren't 100% sure what it was so they took a biopsy and were able to confirm that it was a benign fibroadenoma.
1
u/wimwood 8d ago
I have hormonal cysts in my breasts that change in size from undetectable all the way up to the largest ones swelling to 1x4 inches, and 2x3 inches in length. Sometimes they swell like clockwork every month leading up to my period, sometimes they don’t swell for a few months to a few years at a time.
They started when I was 20. I’m now 43 and they’ve been like this the entire time. When they swell they get extremely painful, the 1x4 extends well into my armpit and even my armpit aches. Sometimes my breasts get extremely firm and ache exactly like my milk is coming in, with or without the cysts acting up. I have an entirely separate sizing of bras that I wear for the two weeks leading into my period when all this nonsense goes on because even at a 32D they get so large and swollen that it actually changes my cup size (I wear a 32F during that time).
They’re quite tender and painful and also completely benign. I’ve had annual mammograms since the age of 37 and it’s always interesting to read how their size varies depending on whatever my hormones are doing at the time of that mammo. The first 4 years, they followed my mammo with an ultrasound for a closer look, but the last 2ish years I got to skip the US for some reason and just got the usual letter stating I have lumpy dense cysty tits but everything is pretty much fine.
Don’t worry hon. They will take a lump very seriously, and they will tell you when/if you need to worry. Hopefully this is just your welcome to the Lumpy Breasts Club (my mom coined that term back in the 70s when she was very casually informed by her OBGYN that she had “very lumpy dense breasts” as a way of explaining cystic/dense breast tissue).
1
u/Dynamo963 8d ago
I’m a dude, my mother died of breast cancer when I was really young. Had this lump that scared the shit out of me due to my mom dx. Started as like the size of an egg, now I have a baseball sized lipoma (fat deposit) on my chest wall/right breast that started in probably 2017. Completely benign. Can be removed w an outpatient procedure I really just don’t want to be cut open.
1
u/_revelationary 8d ago
I just had a lump. I’m lactating though it felt hard and difficult to move. Got a mammogram and found it was just a spot of very dense fatty tissue in my breast.
1
1
u/Impossible_Room_6646 8d ago edited 8d ago
I had an unusual reason for my breast lump: breast tuberculosis. I never knew TB could show up outside of our lungs.
I was scheduled for surgery ASAP as it was suspected as malignant due to its appearance on the ultrasound. I was 31 and I had an open surgery biopsy to get it removed. On local anesthesia, mind you. The surgery went well but I waited days for the result so I was a nervous wreck. Relieved that it wasn't the Big C but was also confused about the actual diagnosis: breast TB? Huh? 😵 I'm from Southeast Asia to put it in perspective, cause I bet it would sound a lot weirder if I had been from the Global North. Still, the diagnosis didn't make sense to me.
I had to take anti-TB meds for 10 months after that. I didn't have to self-isolate, didn't lose weight or had the symptomatic coughs that are associated with TB. It really was just that painful breast lump that made the disease present itself.
Oh, and breast cysts also showed up on my ultrasounds.
*Don't look up images of breast TB! Mine was caught very early and didn't look like any of the pictures on Google images.
*Also, this post is not meant to scare you, OP! Just giving you the range of non-cancerous reasons for a breast lump. Yes, I was still sick with something, but truly grateful that it wasn't malignant. Hoping for the best for you! 🍀
1
u/Sorchya 8d ago
Mine was very dense breast tissue. I was terrified because breast cancer is rife in our family but had the scan and just very dense glandular tissue.
1
u/Airya729 8d ago
Hi, did your dense tissue feel like a firm lump? Like a pea? I legit just went through this and I’m still shaken up by it, had no idea this was even a thing
1
u/Sorchya 8d ago
Mine felt much larger than a pea. It was very firm and felt like a big lump. I check my breasts regularly but this came up in between. The doctor doing the scan could feel it without me telling her where it was in my breast.
1
u/Airya729 8d ago
Same here! I had 2 breast exams 2 months prior to finding it. I have some theories to what caused mine but it was so freaky. I poke it too much now out of stress. Mine actually disappears if I stretch my arm up high enough
1
u/Sorchya 8d ago
The lump I felt has now gone but since my mum, grandma, maternal aunt and most women on that side have breast cancer, I got fast tracked. When the doctor had a poke and went, "we're scanning this bit aren't we" I nearly had a breakdown but it was just dense breast tissue in the end.
1
u/Airya729 8d ago
I’m sorry to hear that. And yah, my gyno had no bedside manner, made it sound like it was the worst case scenario…
How long did it take for yours to go away? Mine is still there after 2 months. I know it’s harmless but it’s still freaky… I’d prefer it gone lol
1
u/Sorchya 6d ago
Tbf she wasn't saying it unkindly, just a I can feel this too but my brain went well that's it we're dead. She was very nice.
Mine is still sort of there but it does fluctuate over months so sometimes it's not noticeable then I feel it again. When I'm checking now I get right in there to try to feel a definite lump or mass. One thing that is slightly reassuring because of my family history, if I turn up to my doctor with a questionable lump then I get fast tracked to the ultrasound clinic.
1
u/KP_Wrath 8d ago
My mom had two different benign tumors removed from one breast, one when she was 14 and one a year or two after she turned 40.
1
u/hayasani 8d ago
I (33F) just went through this. For me, my lump was the result of a bacterial infection (mastitis) in the breast tissue that caused inflammation. An abscess formed deep in the tissue before it was diagnosed (I’m not breastfeeding, so apparently mastitis was unlikely and wasn’t anyone’s initial assumption 🙃). I had the abscess aspirated with local anesthesia, and was on antibiotics for ~3 weeks.
The situation was weird and honestly sucked. But I’m fine now, and not at any increased risk for other breast issues in the future.
Wishing you the best! I hope that whatever’s going on is boring and benign 💕
1
1
1
u/_sunday_funday_ 8d ago edited 8d ago
So, I just went through a mammogram and sonogram and my lumps turned out to be cyst and a lymph node. She said that cysts are extremely common due to hormones changes.
I know it’s hard, but try not to research. I did and spiraled bc of both Google and Reddit. Made it all so much worse. You are 30, it’s most likely nothing. You got this.
1
u/v0rfreude 8d ago
Hi OP! Mine was just a cyst. I also learned during my diagnostic mammogram/ultrasound that I have very dense breast tissue. Like you, I was fortunate that my GP didn't brush it off and sent an order for it to get checked out.
I know it's very easy to catastrophize and go down internet rabbit holes -- I did in the four weeks leading up to the scan. I started to feel what was likely phantom pain in my breast (I say this because it went away shortly after the scans). My mother had breast cancer and I had a full on panic attack during the mammogram (the tech was SO nice and patient) just envisioning the moment they would inevitably tell me the news.
It ended up being OK. Lumps can be all sorts of things. I know how you feel, though -- stay strong and be happy that you're being proactive about getting it investigated. Waiting is the worst part. Good luck ❤️
1
u/bobiscute11 8d ago
If you have dense breasts they are very succesable to cysts / don’t panic - an ultrasound is the best way to see what a mammogram won’t. Most insurance will (reluctantly) cover one.
1
u/lugasamom 8d ago
I had very lumpy breasts when I first started developing. I have dense breast tissue that, over the years, have become less firm but they’re still a bit lumpy (just not hard like they were when I was 14-a late bloomer).
Depending on your age and family history, ask for a mammogram to check.
1
u/pixievixie 8d ago
I have a couple of lumps like the size of a grape under my breasts, when I found them I was super scared. Got a mammogram and have had a couple since. Apparently they're just like fat lumps? That's basically what the medical term they used meant (I don't remember exactly what they said) but they haven't changed or gotten worse in almost a decade since I found them. When I went to get my first "official" over 45 mammogram suddenly they said they'd need to do a biopsy and something else, but then after they reviewed that I'd already had a couple of mammograms and no additional issues they allowed me to forego their normal procedure. Not sure how common fat lumps are, but that's what I have. Guess it matches with the "fatty tissue" type of breasts my last mammogram said I have 🤔
1
u/mamabearette 8d ago
I’ve had a few. Two were cysts that went away. Another was biopsied twice and is a benign adenoma.
1
1
u/BeBraveShortStuff 8d ago
Lump of hard fat. I can’t remember what my doctor called it, but it was hard, it showed up fast, there was no trauma, and it freaked me out. Doc examined it, didn’t even order a mammogram or anything because she said “it’s benign medical word.” So basically a lump of hard fat? She kind of laughed and said more or less and the it would go away on its own and it did.
Boobs do weird things sometimes.
1
u/klymene 8d ago
Same boat right now 💜 I felt something weird, so I went in and the nurse that saw me said it could be a cyst, it could be a benign tumor, or even just an irregularity in tissue. I have a mammogram scheduled for next month, so I’m also just crossing my fingers that it’s not something bad.
1
u/Afraid_Primary_57 8d ago
I had a weird hormonal bump that went away on its own. I had an ultrasound done on it and it was nothing.
1
u/blackday44 8d ago
I had some lumps many years ago and got an ultrasound done.
Turns out it was just extra dense tissue that comes and goes with hormone fluxuations. Doc told me to keep up the normal monthly self-checks, and if something abnormal happens (pain, lump not changing), then to come back.
1
u/sweettea75 8d ago
Benign inter-ductal papilloma. I had one and had it removed since there is a risk of it developing into cancer.
1
u/YugeTraxofLand 8d ago
I have a benign complex cyst. I have my 3rd mammogram this year next week. They're just monitoring it to see if it changes.
1
u/Dapper-Warning3457 8d ago
My sister has a bunch of cysts, just lumpy breasts. She’s had them biopsied and they’re nothing to worry about
1
u/A_Heavy_burden22 8d ago
Mostly just jumping in for extra comfort: I had 1 - 3 lumps in my breast. My GP was like, "oh! Those are abnormal!" And she looked stressed. She was like call this right now for an ultrasound!! ASAP!
And I got the ultrasound. I was so worried and stressed! The someonesomeoneotherdoctor has to review and call me back.
But it was fine! I think a cyst. And every so often they're sore and hurt. But were benign. So ta da!
A lump doesnt always mean cancer. Buuuut it should always mean getting it checked out.
Wishing you the best!
1
1
u/HushabyeNow 8d ago
I have what my radiologist called “busy breasts”. Mostly lots of cysts and pockets of dense tissue. For years this was not a problem, just annoying because they had to do an ultrasound each time to make doubly sure nothing was trying to sneak by under all the noise. Eventually they found something slightly alarming, and wanted to do a biopsy. I know it’s hard to hear “don’t freak out”, because it almost makes you want to freak out more, but take a breath. Twenty years later I still have fully intact breasts.
1
u/JoMamaIsABadAss 8d ago
I've had fibroadenomas my whole life. First one found at 17. I'm 50 now. Keep getting regular checkups!!! ((((Hugs)))) and Best Wishes 💕
Here's what Google has to say:
Fibroadenoma vs. Breast Cancer Fibroadenoma and breast cancer are both breast conditions that can present as lumps, but they have significant differences in characteristics, risks, and treatment.
Characteristics: Fibroadenoma: Benign (non-cancerous) Usually smooth, firm, and movable More common in young women (teens to early 30s) May grow or shrink over time
Breast Cancer: Malignant (cancerous) Can feel hard, irregular, or fixed May be accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, nipple discharge, or skin changes Can occur at any age
Risk Factors: Fibroadenoma: Hormonal factors (e.g., puberty, pregnancy) Family history of fibroadenomas
Breast Cancer: Age (increases with age) Family history of breast cancer Early menstruation Late menopause Certain lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption)
Treatment: Fibroadenoma: Usually no treatment needed Monitoring with regular exams May be surgically removed if it grows large or causes discomfort
Breast Cancer: Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer and may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy
Other Differences: Recurrence: Fibroadenomas can recur after removal, while breast cancer is less likely to recur. Metastasis: Fibroadenomas do not spread to other parts of the body, while breast cancer can. Prognosis: The prognosis for fibroadenoma is excellent. The prognosis for breast cancer varies depending on the stage of the disease.
Conclusion: Fibroadenomas are benign breast lumps that are usually not a cause for concern. Breast cancer, on the other hand, is a malignant condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment
1
u/cosmiccleora 8d ago
I had a CT scan of my heart at the age of 28 and they saw a lump in my breast. They sent me to get it biopsied ASAP. My neighbor/close friend had breast cancer a couple years before this and she recommended I bring a loved one to my appointment for support regardless of the possible outcome. I was pretty scared because what if. It ended up being a fibroadenoma. Non-cancerous. I’m really glad my mom was there with me even though it was good news
1
u/IHatrMakingUsernames 8d ago
Well, if you google almost any symptoms, you'll learn that you automatically have cancer, so good on you for avoiding that.
Google should honestly have a prop 65 warning for all the self-diagnosed cancer it causes.
2
u/Meep42 8d ago
We used to joke that WebMDs symptoms “tool” was an “all roads lead to cancer” tool.
1
u/IHatrMakingUsernames 8d ago
I think google bought it and used it to train their AI or something >.>
1
u/GandalfDGreenery 8d ago
Sometimes a bruise can feel like a lump, have you been whacked in the tit by a speeding squash ball recently?
1
u/monsterlynn 8d ago
I don't want to be a doomsayer but in 2002 at 32 I took a shower and found a lump. I felt healthy, I was full of life, vigor, but in the two weeks that passed between finding it and getting some Imaging done, I found out that that lump was cancer.
But, given the good medical science that we've been enjoying, I got it excised ,underwent chemo , after that radiation therapy, and after that another round of a drug that treats cancer.
Like I said that was in 2002. I am alive here today to tell that Tale of that weird time all my hair fell out because of the chemotherapy , when I discovered medical marijuana and how well it treats side effects of chemo. It was also a Time i had honestly, a lot of fun playing around with wigs and hair and the artifice of feminity.
It may not necessarily be cancer, but if it is I would say don't worry! I got through it 20 years ago and I'm here today! As bad as it could be, just understand that you found it before it could get any worse and you'll get through it . I got through it. It was a weird time. I was sick or sickly for a while . But, I'm here today!
Don't be afraid. You can get through it. I got through it and so can you.
-1
86
u/CeilingCatProphet 8d ago
Cyst.any people have them.