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What Signs Suggest a Lump is Likely to Be Cancerous?

It is not possible for a woman or a physician to know for certain whether a breast lump indicates breast cancer until imaging exams (such as mammography and ultrasound) and/or biopsy are performed. A breast biopsy involves taking a sample of breast tissue and examining it under a microscope to determine whether it contains cancer cells. However, there are certain characteristics associated with lumps that can suggest whether they are more likely to be cancer or benign (non-cancerous).

Signs that suggest a lump is more likely to be cancerous:

* The lump is firm and hard
* The lump is not discrete; it is not easily distinguishable
* The lump is fixed in the breast; it does not move
* There is only one lump
* There is not an identical lump in the opposite breast
* The skin of breast is dimpled
* The lump is accompanied by bloody nipple discharge

Signs that suggest a lump is less likely to be cancerous:

* The lump is soft
* The lump is discrete; it is easily distinguishable
* The lump moves in the breast
* There are multiple breast lumps
* There is an identical lump in the opposite breast
* The lump disappears after the menstrual cycle

While the above signs can help suggest whether a lump is more likely or less likely to be cancerous, having one or more of these characteristics does not guarantee or eliminate the possibility of having breast cancer. These characteristics merely provide clues for the physician when evaluating a lump. Some breast cancers can have characteristics found in the “less likely to be cancerous” category. Therefore, all persistent breast lumps need to be presented to a physician.

This post is for the Blogathon 2006! I am blogging for The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For more information about what I am doing, please click here!