What should you do if you discover a lump in your breast?
Ask the doctor
Q. If a woman finds a nodule on her breast, does it have to be removed immediately? Does it matter if it is cystic?
A. Any time you discover a breast lump, you should see a doctor. But finding a lump does not always mean you will need a biopsy or surgery. This is especially true if the lump appears to be a simple cyst.
Breast lumps are common in women, especially during their reproductive years (between puberty and menopause). When there are multiple small lumps, they are usually noncancerous (benign). A single lump is more concerning.
My approach is to examine the area where the woman feels the lump. I then do a full exam of both breasts and check the armpits for lymph node swelling. If I feel the lump, the next step often depends on the woman's age and when her next menstrual period is due.
The choices may include:
- repeating the breast exam at the end of the next menstrual cycle
- inserting a fine needle into the lump: if it is a cyst, fluid will come out
- sending the woman for an ultrasound or mammogram.
If I don't feel the lump, I will have the woman return again next month, or order a mammogram or ultrasound during this visit.
Whenever a woman feels a persistent lump in the same spot in her breast, she should have it evaluated. This is true even if a prior exam suggested there was nothing to worry about.
Image: © Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Images
About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
