Lump in the Breast
By Bjarne Lühr Hansen PhD, MD and Philipp Skafte-Holm MD, Mentor Institute
Most lumps in the breast are benign, however, breast cancer must be ruled out. Therefore, if you discover a lump in your chest, you should contact the doctor as soon as possible. Your general practitioner can refer you to further examination with a specialist if there is suspicion of breast cancer.
Far most lumps in the breast are benign. The most frequent type of lump is ‘milk knots’ (fibroadenomer), however, breast cancer must be ruled out.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer with women. This is why all lumps in the breast should be examined closer by a doctor.
An inflamed bulge of a milk duct (cysts) can cause a lump in the breast, milk knots (fibroidadenom), inflammation of the breast tissue (mastitis) and breast cancer. The younger the woman, the smaller risk of breast cancer. With women less than 35 years old, a lump in the breast is only very rarely breast cancer. With women more than 50 years old, every lump in the chest is considered cancer until proven otherwise.
The following conditions increase the risk of a lump in the breast being breast cancer:
- Flux from the nipple.
- Breast cancer in the closest family.
- The lump is hard and is firmly located within the chest.
- Eczema or wounds above the lump.
- Newly formed inward turned nipple.
- Sore lumps in the armpit.
- The woman is more than 35 years old.