Symptoms of Benign Breast Tumors

Symptoms

[ Pain ] Pain can be divided into breast pain and non-breast pain, and breast pain is further classified into cyclical pain and non-cyclical pain. Cyclical pain refers to pain that appears when menstruation begins or is worst during menstruation. If this discomfort lasts longer than a week or is severe enough to interfere with daily life, it is advisable to seek medical help. Pain can occur throughout the menstrual cycle and may be most severe just before menopause, and it may disappear after menopause. Non-breast pain includes pain originating from the chest wall, such as costochondritis (costal cartilage inflammation) and spinal radiculopathy, and in rare cases, people visit the hospital because of pain caused by gallbladder disease or ischemic heart disease.

[ Nipple Discharge ] Nipple discharge is one of the three common breast symptoms, along with a mass and pain, and is mostly caused by benign conditions. It has been reported that about 1% of breast cancer patients complain only of nipple discharge. Nipple discharge may include milk-like discharge, serous discharge, and bloody discharge. It may come from a single duct or from multiple ducts. Spontaneous nipple discharge is more clinically significant, while induced discharge can also occur in postmenopausal women who simply have changes in ductal dilation, and small amounts of milk-like discharge may also occur in women who have given birth. Frequently squeezing or stimulating the nipples can also cause long-term nipple discharge. If persistent milky discharge occurs in both breasts and is accompanied by findings such as amenorrhea, infertility, or visual disturbance, a pituitary adenoma may be suspected. In addition, milky discharge can also appear due to hypothyroidism, amenorrhea syndrome, medications, chest trauma, and other causes.

In particular, surgical excision may be necessary to differentiate from malignant tumors when nipple discharge is spontaneous, unilateral, limited to a single duct, or present together with a mass, or when the discharge is bloody, serous, serosanguineous, or watery. It may also be necessary in older adults or in men who develop nipple discharge.

[ Breast Mass ]

1. Solid mass in patients under 40 Breast masses in women under 40 are almost all benign and are caused by fibroadenoma, fibrocystic change, fibrosis, and similar conditions, but regardless of age, a painless breast mass must always be differentiated from a malignant tumor.

2. Solid mass in patients 40 and older As a patient’s age increases, clinically benign breast diseases decrease, and the likelihood of malignant disease increases. In women aged 40 and older, a non-cystic mass should be considered for possible malignancy regardless of clinical findings.

So far, I have explained the symptoms of benign breast tumors. In the next part, we will look at the diagnosis of benign breast tumors.

Source: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Information Portal