17.06.2025
By Mr Haresh Devalia, Consultant Breast and Oncoplastic Surgeon
Common causes of a benign breast lump is a fibroadenoma. In menopausal women, it is the most common breast cyst. It’s a tumour formed of mixed glandular and fibrous tissue, typically occurring as a benign growth in the breast.
Breast lumps are not always serious but it is important to check for breast cancer in everyone, it needs to be ruled out in each case. When a breast examination is carried out we check for fibroadenoma, breast cysts, and breast cancer.
Breast lumps can be detected by clinical examination and by regularly examining the breasts at home. It is important to check all areas of the breast including the nipple area, up to the armpit and to the collar bone.
Breast lumps can be found in any part of the breast. However, it’s extremely common to find them in the upper outer quadrant of the breast and the second common side is behind the nipple.
Most benign lumps can be left alone as long as they are proved benign on biopsy. Any benign lump which increases in size, is indeterminate on a biopsy or shows atypical cells would require surgery. Some symptomatic benign lumps would also require surgery, most breast cancer patients will require surgery as a treatment plan.
Most breast cancer lumps are painless, and most painful lumps are likely to be benign cysts. However, all lumps require triple assessment in a one-stop breast clinic (which can involve a clinical examination, imaging i.e. mammogram or ultrasound, plus or minus biopsy).
Most lumps are benign, however, the lumps in post-menopausal women should always be thoroughly investigated as more than 60% of them are because of cancer. Any lump associated with nipple retraction and/or skin retraction is suspicious until proven otherwise. Breast lumps around the armpit definitely require further investigation and any lump which keeps on increasing in size will also require thorough triple assessment.
More information on our services can be found on our Breast Lump page.
Please note that we are unable to see patients under the age of 18, except for MRI scans, which have a minimum age of 8.
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