Breast lump
Breast lump: Introduction
A lump in the breast immediately brings
fear of breast cancer,
although most breast lumps are benign breast cysts.
However, the failure to identify a breast lump
as breast cancer is a common misdiagnosis
(and a common allegation in malpractice law),
and the survival rate after delayed detection is
much lower,
so the importance of correctly diagnosing
a breast lump quickly cannot be understated.
There are also other causes of lumps in the
breast or related region.
Breast-feeding women are prone to benign breast lumps from mastitis.
Men can get benign enlargement of breast tissue called gynecomastia.
Rarely, men can also get breast cancer.
Any breast lump needs immediate professional medical
advice to get a correct diagnosis and
to detect cases of breast cancer.
» Review Causes of Breast lump:
full list
Causes of Breast lump:
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Breast lump.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
See full list of 62
causes of Breast lump
» Review Causes of Breast lump:
full list
Causes of Types of Breast lump:
Review causes of types of Breast lump in more specific categories:
See full list of 18
types for Breast lump
Breast lump: Symptom Checker
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Breast lump, as listed in our database.
Visit the Symptom Checker,
to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.
Symptom Checker
Symptom Checker
See full list of 788
Symptom Checker combinations related to Breast lump
Breast lump Treatments
Review information on Breast lump Treatments.
Breast lump: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers
Products, offers and promotion categories available related to Breast lump:
Causes of General Symptom Types
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
Research the causes of related medical symptoms such as:
Causes of Similar Symptoms to Breast lump
Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Breast lump:
Diagnostic Guides for Breast lump
Medical Books Excerpts
Read excertps from published book sections related to Breast lump
from the following published medical books
for more detailed information about Breast lump.
Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Breast lump
Medical Books Excerpts
- Breast Mass
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Mediastinal Mass
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Scrotal Mass
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- FACE MASS
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Breast lump: Medical Mistakes
Breast lump: Undiagnosed Conditions
Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:
Hospitals & Clinics: Breast lump
Research extensive quality ratings and patient safety measures
for hospitals, clinics and medical facilities in health specialties related to Breast lump:
Research Hospital & Clinic Quality Ratings » »
Breast lump: Research Related Doctors & Specialists
- Pregnancy & Fertility Health Specialists:
- Womens Health Specialists:
- Cancer Specialists:
- Senior Health Specialists (Geriatrics):
- more specialists...»
Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:
Misdiagnosis and Breast lump
Alzheimer's disease over-diagnosed: The well-known disease of Alzheimer's disease
is often over-diagnosed.
Patients tend to assume that any memory...read more »
Dementia may be a drug interaction: A common scenario in aged care is for
a patient to show mental decline to dementia.
Whereas this can, of course, occur due to various medical...read more »
Rare type of breast cancer without a lump: There is a less common form
of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer.
Its symptoms can be an inflammation of the breast tissue, such as with a breast...read more »
Tremor need not be Parkinson's disease: There is the tendency to believe that
any tremor symptom, or shakiness, means Parkinson's disease.
The reality is that...read more »
Spitz nevi misdiagnosed as dangerous melanoma skin cancer: One possible misdiagnosis to
consider in lieu of melanoma is spitz nevi.
See melanoma and spitz nevi....read more »
Rare diseases misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease: A rare genetic
disorder is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease for men in their 50's.
The disease Fragile...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Breast lump
Breast lump: Related Rare Diseases
Rare types of medical conditions and diseases in related medical categories:
Diagnostic tests for Breast lump:
Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Breast lump. Some of these are listed below :
- Physical examination
- Examination the breast lump when sitting and lying flat and assess breast lump position, size, shape, consistency, tenderness and mobility and attachment to the overlying skin. e.g. a hard, irregular lump is suspicious of breast cancer; a firm, smooth and mobile breast lump may suggest fibroadenoma
- Axillary and supraclavicular lymph node examination
- Examine to see if there is a deformity of the breast associated with the mass e.g. an orange peel appearance of the skin over the tumor, retraction of the skin, retraction of the nipple or ulceration of the skin overlying the mass suggests breast cancer
- Examine lump to see if it transilluminates - may suggest a cyst of the breast or a galactocoele. If it does not transilluminate it is probably a benign or malignant tumor.
- If suspect breast cancer inspect liver , lungs and spine for evidence of metastases
- more tests...»
See full list of 12
diagnostic tests for Breast lump
Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Breast lump.
Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing
your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information
you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- When did you first notice the breast lump? - to establish if acute or chronic.
- Is it single or multiple, in one or two breasts? - suggests benign mammary dysplasia or benign breast cysts.
- Does breast tenderness and swelling increase before the menstrual period and settle after the menstrual period? - suggests benign mammary dysplasia.
- Have you noticed "lumpiness" in your breasts in the past? - suggests benign mammary dysplasia.
- Has the lumpy area been red or hot? - may suggest acute mastitis (most common) or inflammatory breast cancer.
- more questions...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Breast lump (18
listings)
Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition.
The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Breast lump) may include:
- Breast lump pain - a painful breast lump is most likely due to an infection (e.g. mastitis or abscess). Other possibilities are benign mammary dysplasia or advanced breast cancer. Note only 5% of breast cancers are associated with pain. The ache may extend down inner aspect of the upper arm in benign mammary dysplasia.
- Nipple discharge? - A bloody discharge from the breast suggests a benign breast cancer (intraduct papilloma), malignant breast cancer or sometimes benign mammary dysplasia. A pus-like discharge may suggest an abscess or mastitis. A watery discharge of various colors (clear to green-grey) suggests benign mammary dysplasia.
- Fever? - would suggest acute mastitis or abscess.
- Has there been any change in your nipples? - e.g. nipple retraction suggests breast cancer. Nipple itching, burning or ulceration may suggest Paget's disease.
- Symptoms suggestive of metastatic disease e.g. back pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, and headache
- more symptoms...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Breast lump (18
listings)
Home Diagnostic Testing and Breast lump
Home medical tests possibly related to Breast lump:
- Colon & Rectal Cancer: Home Testing
- Menopause: Related Home Testing:
- Vaginal Health: Home Testing:
- Breast Cancer: Related Home Tests:
- Cancer-Related Home Testing:
- more tests...»
Stories from Users for Breast lump
Real-life user stories relating to Breast lump:
Symptom specific forums:
The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards
relate to Breast lump or relevant symptoms:
Videos for Breast lump
While a mammogram is one of the most important tests a woman can take, its findings often seem complex to many women. Learn what doctors look for...
Anthracyclines are becoming an increasingly important part of adjuvant therapy for breast cancer, with new data demonstrating its significant...
Certain breast cancers mean different things. Learn what tests can determine the type of breast cancer you have, and how this information can affect...
There are many options for treating breast cancer, including surgery, hormonal treatments, radiation and chemotherapy. All of these treatments have...
See full list of 30 related videos
Patient Surveys for Breast lump
Causes of Breast lump listed in Disease Database:
Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible
causes of Breast lump as a symptom include:
See full list of 62
causes of Breast lump
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Medications or substances causing Breast lump:
The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible
causes of Breast lump as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
See full list of 11
medications causing Breast lump
Definitions of Breast lump:
A mass in the mammary gland, either mobile or immobile. Once the mass has reached the size of a small garden pea, it can be detected by palpation. With mammography a larger number of early breast cancers are being detected since this techniques allows detection prior to the point at which the mass can be felt. Breast masses are not always malignant. Benign fibrocystic breast disease is not uncommon. A fine needle biopsy aspiration can distinguish a cystic mass from a solid one.
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Organs affected by Breast lump:
The list of organs typically affected by Breast lump may include, but is not limited to:
Detailed list of causes of Breast lump
The list below shows some of the causes of Breast lump mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 62
causes of Breast lump
How Common are these Causes of Breast lump?
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases,
not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Breast lump.
Of the 62
causes of Breast lump that
we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
- 1
causes are "very common" diseases
- 3
causes are "common" diseases
- 1
causes are "uncommon" diseases
- 0
causes are "rare" diseases
- 0
causes are "very rare" diseases
- 60
causes have no prevalence information.
See the analysis of the prevalence of 62
causes of Breast lump
Conditions listing symptoms: Breast lump:
The following list of conditions
have 'Breast lump' or similar
listed as a symptom in our database.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
A
Angiosarcoma of the breast
... breast lumpB
Breast Cancer
... breast lump, breast skin pitting, breast thickening, hard painless breast lumpBreast lump
... breast lump, various types of breast lump are possibleC
Cancer
... Breast lumpCystosarcoma phyllodes
... breast lumpF
Fibroadenoma
... breast lumpFibrocystic breasts
... breast lump, lumpy breastsG
Galactocele
... breast lumpGiant mammary hamartoma
... breast lumpI
Inflammatory breast cancer
... breast lumpM
Male Breast Cancer
... breast lump, breast skin pitting, breast thickening, hard painless breast lumpMastitis
... lumps in breast ductsN
Nipple conditions
... Breast lumpP
Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia
... breast lumpS
Secretory breast carcinoma
... breast lumpZ
Zuskas Disease
... Breast lump, Areolar lump
Join in at the forums
Ask or answer a question about symptoms or diseases at one of our
free interactive user forums.
Medical story forums: If you have a medical story then we want to hear it.
See a list of all the medical forums
Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Breast lump?
Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Breast lump, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.
Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :
What are the alternative names for Breast lump:
Breast mass
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Classifications of Breast lump:
Medical Conditions associated with Breast lump:
Breast symptoms (206 causes), Lump (298 causes)
Symptoms related to Breast lump:
Nipple symptoms (106 causes), Breast swelling (58 causes), Breast infection, Mastitis, Breast symptoms (206 causes), Breast pain (17 causes), Nipple pain (3 causes), Breast cyst, Breast abscess, Breast cancer (3 causes), Metastatic breast cancer, Chronic cystic mastitis, Fat necrosis, Gynecomastia (2 causes), Papilloma, Breast duct papilloma
Medical articles on signs and symptoms:
Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:
These general medical articles may be of interest:
See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
Medical News summaries about Breast lump
Our news pages contain the following medical news summaries about Breast lump and many other medical conditions:
News Archives for Breast lump
Medical news articles related to Breast lump include:
Source: HealthDay News
Evidence Based Medicine Research for Breast lump
Medical research papers related to Breast lump include:
Research More Evidence-Based Medicine at TripDatabase.com
Related medical articles from our Disease Center for Breast lump:
More Ways To Research Medical Signs and Symptoms:
» Next page: Causes of Breast lump
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards: