Common Non-cancerous Breast Complications

Diagnosing and treating breast complications as early as possible can be absolutely crucial. Therefore, it is important to know the most common deviations, so that it is easier to identify them if they occur.

Today we will talk about common breast complications that are not cancer. We will go through how to detect them and what treatments are available for them.

The breasts go through changes in the different stages of a woman’s life and fulfill the function of breastfeeding babies. This helps to establish an incomparable bond between mother and child. But breasts also need to be taken care of, and they can suffer from ill health.

It is important to point out that most breast complications are benign, which means that it is not a cancer. But that does not mean you can lower the guard! You still need to examine yourself to detect signs of breast cancer.

Common benign breast complications

According to the American Cancer Society Against Cancer, these are the most common benign conditions:

1. Mastitis

Mastitis is a pneumonia, and the cause is usually an infection. It occurs in both breastfeeding women (most often) and in non-breastfeeding women. It is usually treated with antibiotics.

2. Fibrosis and cysts

Many lumps in the breast are caused by changes in the breast tissue, especially when you are in the most fertile age. Characteristics are inflammation and hypersensitivity.

They usually disappear over time. However, the fluid can be removed with a needle or with surgery, if it returns or if it causes pain.

3. Fibroadenos

In this case, the mammary glands may be larger than normal, and even larger. It is often painful, but disappears after a while. However, you should consult a doctor for a professional examination.

4. Fat necrosis and oil cysts

This occurs when adipose tissue is damaged. It can occur after surgery or radiation therapy to the breast. The oil cyst is a fat-filled sac that is formed instead of a wound healing.

There may be lumps and redness, but they do not cause pain. They often do not need to be treated, but a biopsy may be needed to check that they do not contain cancer cells.

5. Fibroadenoma

These are benign tumors that consist of glandular tissue and connective tissue. They are common between the ages of 20 and 40 and feel as if you had a game ball inside your chest.

Some are easy to detect, and others are detected by mammography or ultrasound. If they do not grow, and if the doctors are sure that they are not a product of any other condition, then they must remain until they disappear. Otherwise, or if you want to be on the safe side, you remove them.

6. Breast hyperplasia

This is an overgrowth of the cells that sit around the milk ducts or mammary glands. No nodules form, and the condition is detected by mammography or biopsy.

Unlike the above, atypical hyperplasia (a type where the cells are more malformed) is a condition that increases the risk of breast cancer. If there is a risk, you should remove the surrounding tissue.

7. Lobular cancer in situ

Another name for this is lobular neoplasia . This means that cancer cells grow in the mammary glands, but they do not leave the gland segment (lobulus). It does not cause inflammation or pain, so it is detected when you do a biopsy due to another problem in the breast. This condition also increases the risk of breast cancer.

8. Intraductal papilloma

These are benign tumors that resemble warts, and appear in the milk ducts. There may be a single (liquid) or several. You can detect them using mammography or ultrasound.

If they are large, your doctor will perform a biopsy. In themselves, they do not increase the risk of cancer, but they do if they are followed by another condition, such as atypical hyperplasia.

How to reduce the risk of breast complications

To reduce the risk of breast complications, the following is recommended:

1. Keep a healthy diet and weight. It has been proven that both of these factors affect the risk of developing cancer as an adult.
2. Stay physically active  through intense or moderate physical activity.
3. Limit or avoid alcohol consumption.
4. Amma. According to the Spanish Cancer Society, breastfeeding can prevent breast complications.
5. Prescription medications for women at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
6. Preventive surgery when your doctor detects a significant risk of suffering from any of these diseases.

One last recommendation is not to be afraid to do these surveys when needed. They are crucial for being able to get the right treatment if one were to discover any type of breast complication. They are also painless.

Remember that there is no point in doing anything. Therefore, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to consult your doctor.