Benign breast tumors
Fibroadenoma
Fibroadenoma is the most common benign tumor of the breast. It is the newly formed connective tissue of the breast that surrounds the mammary gland lobules.
Almost a third of all women, especially younger ones, are affected. The maximum age is between 30 and 35 years.
The fibroadenoma appears as a firm, often rounded lump in the breast, which is easy to move and has a smooth surface. Usually the knot can be moved so easily against the other tissue that it is literally difficult to get between your fingers.
Very few women with a fibroadenoma have symptoms; sometimes there is mild tension pain, especially during their period. As with breast cancer, growth in fibroadenoma is also dependent on the sex hormones. The fibroadenoma does not lead to retractions or a plateau phenomenon (see breast cancer detection), as it does not grow into the surrounding tissue, but rather forms between it. However, depending on the size of the growth, there may be bulges on the chest.
In the ultrasound and in the Mammography that arises Fibroadenoma as a well-defined, round mass, possibly with calcifications inside. Fibromas can be surgically removed if desired, but actually do not require any treatment.
Further information on this topic is available at: Fibroadenoma.
Lipoma
Lipomas are benign growths of adipose tissue. Mostly kick Lipomas in the subcutaneous fatty tissue of the neck and back, arms, middle of the abdomen and thighs, but also within the female breast lipomas can form.
Smaller findings can be felt as a hard lump under the skin by palpation, larger findings clearly emerge as bumps on the skin. The size can be a few millimeters, but in rare cases it can reach the size of a fist. Lipomas grow very slowly and often only reach their final size after decades. The nodes are easy to define, have a smooth surface and are usually easy to move. Lipomas can also be surgically removed if desired, but otherwise do not require treatment.
You can find further information under our topic: Lipoma.
Mastitis (inflammation of the breast)
Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary glands, usually caused by bacteria (from Greek. mastos).
Mastitis (inflammation of the breast) often occurs in breastfeeding mothers during the puerperium; it is then called mastitis puerperalis.
Often the inflammation develops in a circumscribed area of the breast. The chest is reddened here, often slightly swollen, overheated and extremely painful. There is usually a fever at the same time and the lymph nodes in the armpit are swollen.
Please also read our article on this Swelling of the chest.
The treatment depends on how far the inflammation has progressed and can range from cooling the breast to expressing the milk (see breast milk) to antibiotic therapy and drug inhibition of milk production. Breastfeeding must be avoided during this time.
Inflammation of the breast is rare outside of the puerperium and is called non-puerperal mastitis. In recent years, however, this disease has increased significantly, and there is currently no clear explanation for it. The symptoms are the same as in puerperal mastitis, only fever is less common.
Factors that favor the occurrence of non-puerperal mastitis are other breast diseases, the use of depot contraceptives or sedatives, and inverted nipples. Therapy consists of the administration of medication, which often leads to rapid improvement, but this disease tends to recur.
Read more under our topic: Breast Inflammation
Note: mastitis
Any mastitis outside of the puerperium must have inflammatory breast cancer (inflammatory breast cancer; Please refer Breast cancers) can be excluded.
Mastopathy
Under the term Mastopathy (Greek mastos = breast, pathos = suffering) a multitude of diseases of the mammary glands are summarized, which change the original breast tissue.
The cause is hormonal dysregulation. Presumably, this is primarily a shift in the estrogen-progesterone-Balance in favor of estrogen.
Mastopathies are the most common disease of the female breast and usually occur between the ages of 30 and 50, often affecting both breasts. Breast cancer can develop from these basically benign changes in the breast tissue, depending on the type and degree of mastopathy.
Simple mastopathy is harmless and does not represent a precancerous stage, whereas atypical mastopathy can develop into breast cancer in 3 - 4% of cases. In addition, the onset of breast cancer can hide between purely benign changes.
The three main symptoms of mastopathy are lump formation (palpable hardening of the breast), pain, and discharge from the nipples. The indurations change their size in the course of the female cycle, they are greatest in the second half. This is also when chest pain usually occurs. All of these symptoms can also occur in breast cancer.
Read more about this under Mastopathy.
Info: mastopathy
Any change in the breast should therefore be clarified by a gynecologist; he can assess what type of mastopathy it is and whether further checks or measures are necessary.
