Breast Diseases

On this page

Summary

Most women experience breast changes at some time. Your age, hormone levels, and medicines you take may cause lumps, bumps, and discharges (fluids that are not breast milk).

If you have a breast lump, pain, discharge or skin irritation, see your health care provider. Minor and serious breast problems have similar symptoms. Although many women fear cancer, most breast problems are not cancer.

Some common breast changes are:

Fibrocystic breast changes - lumpiness, thickening and swelling, often just before a woman's period
Cysts - fluid-filled lumps
Fibroadenomas - solid, round, rubbery lumps that move easily when pushed, occurring most in younger women
Intraductal papillomas - growths similar to warts near the nipple
Blocked milk ducts
Milk production when a woman is not breastfeeding

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

Breast Changes and Conditions (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Facts for Life: Benign Breast Conditions (Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - PDF Also in Spanish
Non-Cancerous Breast Conditions (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Breast Biopsy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Breast Cyst Aspiration (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Breast Lump: Early Evaluation Is Essential (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Breast Pain in Women (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Breast Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Galactography (Ductography) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Needle Biopsy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Adenosis of the Breast (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Benign Breast Conditions (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Breast Calcifications (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Breast Cysts (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Breast Lumps (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Breast Pain (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Breast Rash (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Fat Necrosis and Oil Cysts in the Breast (American Cancer Society)
Fibrocystic Changes in the Breast (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Galactorrhea (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Hyperplasia of the Breast (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Mammary Duct Ectasia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Mastitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Nipple Discharge (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Images

Nipple Dermatitis (VisualDX)
Supernumerary Nipple (VisualDX)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Breast Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Gynecomastia (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Mastitis (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Mastodynia (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

American Cancer Society
Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health Also in Spanish
Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish

Teenagers

Gynecomastia (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Why Are My Breasts Different Sizes? (Nemours Foundation)
Why Are My Breasts Sore? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Breast biopsy - ultrasound (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast biopsy -- stereotactic (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast enlargement in males (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast infection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast lump (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast MRI scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast pain (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast self-exam (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Breast skin and nipple changes (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Fibroadenoma of the breast (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Fibrocystic breasts (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Intraductal papilloma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Nipple discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Premenstrual breast changes (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Breast Diseases

Basics

Learn More

See, Play and Learn

Research

Resources

For You