Breast problems are common in women. Changes in the breast may indicate benign disease or cancer. Medical research, including medical imaging, can provide more clarity as to whether a change is benign or malignant.
About 1 in 7 women has to deal with breast cancer in her life. Breast cancer is a rare disease for women aged below 30. After that age, the number of women with breast cancer increases. About 70% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are older than 50 years. Hereditary predisposition causes breast cancer in 5 to 10% of the cases. In these cases, breast cancer is often diagnosed before the age of 50.
You may have noticed something about your breast(s), maybe a family member has been diagnosed with breast cancer or you are being called up for the population screening. The most important thing is that you have it checked by a doctor. Fortunately, 75% of the nodules or changes in the breast are not cancerous, but it is wise to do further research on changes that are:
Do you recognize one of the above problems? Please make an appointment with your doctor. If your doctor considers further examination necessary, you can quickly visit the Breast Care Centre. A breast lump may indicate breast cancer, but in most cases it is something else.
Some women discover a lump by chance in the shower or when getting dressed. Other women discover a lump during a self-examination.
One of the symptoms of breast cancer is a lump in the breast. Such a lump in the breast may indicate a tumor, but this may not always be the case. It is often a cyst (a cavity filled with fluid) or a connective tissue lump. If you feel a lump that does not disappear quickly, we advise you to make an appointment with your doctor.
With a lump in the breast is meant a thickening that is different from the lumpiness that you normally feel in the chest. A lump can feel like a marble and feels harder and stiffer than other parts of the breast. It may also be that it feels like an elongated swelling or a disc that is thickened.
Breast cancer is not always a lump
Changes in the breast itself or around the nipple can also be a sign of breast cancer. Flaky skin around the nipple or fluid that comes out of the nipple can also be an indication of breast cancer.
Not every breast lump is breast cancer. In 75% of the cases nothing is wrong. It is important to keep a close eye on your breasts so that you notice any changes in time. By regularly viewing and checking your breasts, you notice changes earlier. Only specialist research can diagnose whether a lump in the breast is benign or malignant.