Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but identifying the cause is an important first step before deciding whether treatment is needed. A typical breast lump assessment can often be completed in one visit, beginning with a clinical examination and same-day imaging. A needle biopsy may be recommended if the scan indicates further evaluation is needed. Treatment depends on what the assessment shows.
Table of Contents 23 sections
- When a breast lump has to be removed, and when it can be left alone
- What to Expect During Your First Breast Lump Consultation
- Symptoms of Breast Lump
- How To Identify Breast Lumps?
- How do you get rid of breast lumps?
- Can you treat breast lumps naturally?
- What Are The Causes Of Breast Lumps?
- Which doctor should I see for breast lumps?
- Which doctor should I consult for breast pain?
- What is the treatment for breast lump?
- Can breast lump be treated without surgery?
- Diagnostic Tests for Breast Lumps
- Clinical Examination
- Mammogram
- Ultrasound
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
- Biopsy
- Ductogram (Galactography)
- Genetic Testing
- Where Dr Agarwal sees patients in Gurgaon
- Why Choose Dr Rajeev for Breast Lump Treatment?
Some lumps may only require monitoring, while fluid-filled lumps can sometimes be drained during a short clinic procedure. Others may need surgical removal. Dr. Rajeev Agarwal has more than 40 years of experience in breast cancer surgery and sees patients at Medanta, Sector 38, Gurugram. For patients with a confirmed breast cancer diagnosis, treatment focuses on planning the appropriate next steps based on the type and stage of the cancer.
The female breast consists of fatty and fibrous tissues, nerve fibres, blood vessels, milk glands, and milk ducts. Over time, the texture of the breast tissue changes due to hormonal influences and facilitates lump formation. There are many causes for developing breast lumps, including physiological changes, injury, or infections. Breast lump treatment will vary based on the aetiology of breast changes.
- Fibrocystic changes- These changes occur due to hormonal influences that occur during the menstrual cycle. You may feel heaviness, lumps, and tenderness in your breast tissue a few days before the period. These changes are less common in post-menopausal women and more commonly seen during the fertile phase.
- Fibroadenomas – It is a painless solid lump that is easily movable over the skin. This type of lump is mostly benign or non-cancerous and can be easily removed through procedures or surgeries
- Fat necrosis- If you have a history of injury around your breasts, fat tissues in the area get necrosed and turn into a hard, lumpy swelling. Your doctor will be able to differentiate and diagnose after doing a biopsy.
- Cysts around the breasts- Cysts are fluid-filled sac-like structures near the breast tissues. The pain and tenderness change with the menstrual cycle.
- Abscess due to infection
- Inflammation of breast tissues like mastitis
Dr. Rajeev Agarwal is readily available for online appointments through Practo or e Medanta. However, if you live nearby Gurgaon or the NCR, we encourage you to schedule an appointment to meet with the doctor at Medanta, the Mecdcity.
He has been instrumental in spreading awareness of breast lumps and educating patients about self breast examination. If you notice any discolouration, hardness, or abnormal lump in the breast or the armpit area, you can consult with your doctor.
You can schedule an appointment online to receive via video consultation and Dr Rajeev Agarwal is available via Practo and Medanta e-Clinic for an online appointment.
When a breast lump has to be removed, and when it can be left alone
Surgery is not necessary for every breast lump. Once the imaging and, where required, biopsy results are available, the lump can usually be classified into a specific category, and treatment can be planned accordingly.
A simple cyst contains fluid and may not need any treatment. If it causes discomfort, a clinician can often drain it with a fine needle during a clinic visit, without making an incision. Cysts can sometimes return after drainage, and recurrence does not necessarily mean that the original treatment was unsuccessful.
Fibroadenomas are benign breast growths that are particularly common in women in their twenties and thirties. If a biopsy confirms a small fibroadenoma and it does not cause problems, monitoring with a follow-up scan may be all that is required. Consider surgical removal if the lump is large, continues to grow, causes pain, or if the imaging findings and biopsy results do not match.
When a biopsy confirms breast cancer, surgical removal of the tumor may be recommended. The next decisions include determining how much surrounding breast tissue needs to be removed and whether the nearby lymph nodes should also be assessed. Doctors make these decisions after reviewing the imaging and pathology reports.
In some cases, the first assessment may not provide enough information to establish exactly what a lump is. When there are no concerning findings, repeating the examination after six to eight weeks may be more appropriate than proceeding directly to surgery. Timing the review at a different stage of the menstrual cycle can also help determine whether the lump has changed.
What to Expect During Your First Breast Lump Consultation
Bring any previous medical records you have, including scan reports, imaging films, biopsy results, and a current list of your medications. For women who still menstruate, breast examination may be more comfortable during the week following the end of the period, but a newly detected lump should be assessed without waiting for a particular time in the cycle. Your appointment will begin with a discussion about the lump and your medical history, followed by a physical examination of both breasts and the areas under both arms. When imaging is needed, ultrasound is commonly used for women under 40, while women over 40 may have both a mammogram and an ultrasound.
This is because younger breasts tend to have denser tissue, which can make mammograms harder to interpret on their own. We generally review imaging findings with you the same day. When imaging identifies a solid area that requires further investigation, a core needle biopsy may be recommended to obtain a small tissue sample. The procedure uses local anesthetic and usually takes only a few minutes. You can return home afterward with a small dressing over the biopsy site, while the pathology report generally takes around a week. Except when a fluid-filled cyst needs to be drained during the appointment, treatment decisions are usually deferred until the examination, imaging, and biopsy results have been reviewed.
Symptoms of Breast Lump
- A general feeling of discomfort in the breast area
- On touch, feels like a rounded smooth mass
- The skin of the affected breast appears as small folds known as puckering
- One area of the breast is different from the other
- They are usually painless and may grow with the menstrual cycle
How To Identify Breast Lumps?
Breast lumps are a common occurrence. So a regular physical examination is important to detect and treat them. The sooner a lump is discovered, the easier the breast lump treatment would be. Both men and women can perform a self-examination to detect any possible breast lumps in the following steps:
- Lie down on the bed. Run the pad of the index and the middle finger as circles along each breast. Keep your fingers firm but apply only slight pressure.
- You can follow a pattern like from top to bottom or from the centre to outward. Make sure to cover the whole area from the center of your chest to the armpit and from the collarbone to the upper abdomen.
- Follow the same process while sitting or standing.
Visit a doctor for breast lump treatment in gurgaon if you notice any of the following during self-examination:
- Any puckering or elevation on the breast or the areas around it.
- A firm mass that feels stuck to the breast tissues or the inner side of the skin on the breast.
- Any irregular enlargement, swelling, rashes, redness, or pain lasting for more than a week.
How do you get rid of breast lumps?
The treatment of breast lumps is based on their causative factor and varies accordingly. Breast lump treatment in Gurgaon is available under the guidance of Dr. Rajeev Agarwal.
- Antibiotics are used to treat lumps that are a result of infection. Specific drugs that target the infection-causing organism are destroyed, and the lumps resolve.
- Fine needle aspiration – If the surgeon detects that there is fluid inside, then draining the accumulated fluid through a fine needle regresses the lump size and causes resolution
- Biopsy – If the surgeon suspects that the lump could be malignant, then a sample of the tissue is taken for further study to confirm the diagnosis and proceed with breast lump treatment in gurgaon.
- If breast lump is cancerous, then it needs specific anticancer treatment which may be surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy or targeted therapy in isolation or in combination depending upon the stage & type of breast cancer
Can you treat breast lumps naturally?
No home remedy, diet, oil, or supplement has been shown to dissolve a breast lump. The risk in treating one at home is simpler than it sounds: you cannot tell from the outside what the lump is, so weeks spent on remedies are weeks in which nothing has been ruled out. What genuinely helps with the discomfort is a well-fitted supportive bra, a warm or cold compress, and getting the lump imaged so you know what you are dealing with. Many lumps need no treatment once identified, which is very different from treating one yourself.
Breast lumps can be a constant source of pain and discomfort, and here are some ways to relieve pain & discomfort by supportive measures . Some of these supportive measures include:
- Supportive bra – A supportive bra with a good fit is great for relieving the pressure and discomfort of a breast lump
- Compress – Depending upon the type of lump, an ice pack or a warm compress helps to keep the area comfortable.
- Diet changes- Women with breast pain have consistently experienced relief from the symptoms after diet modification. Breast pain management in such cases includes limiting caffeine and avoiding chocolate in their diet.
- Pain relievers- You may take natural pain-relieving substances after consulting with a professional.
What Are The Causes Of Breast Lumps?
Breast lumps can be caused due to several reasons like:
- Cancer: Many lumps appear due to tumor formation and spread quickly nd easily.
- Cysts: These are benign fluid-filled sacs.
- Fibroadenoma: It is a painless benign mass that occurs in women between 15 to 35 years of age.
- Fibrocystic Breast: It contains rope-like, lumpy breast tissue that fluctuates with the menstrual cycle and is completely normal.
- Galactocele: It contains a harmless milk-filled cyst that forms during or after the lactation period.
- Intraductal papilloma: These are non-cancerous wart-like tumors that form in the milk ducts.
- Lipoma: It is a harmless dough-like mass present between the skin and the muscle layer of the breast.
- Mastitis: It is an infection that involves breast swelling, pain, redness, and warmth. It usually happens in the women who are breastfeeding.
Different types of breast lumps call for different breast lump treatment methods.
Dr. Rajeev Agarwal is an experienced breast cancer specialist who provides breast lump treatment. With over 40 years of experience in diagnosing and treating all types of breast lumps, he is the preferable and most reliable oncologist for breast lump treatment among patients.
Currently, Dr. Rajeev Agarwal is associated with Medanta Hospital, Gurgaon. The hospital is equipped with the state of the art technology to facilitate accurate and efficient patient care.
Make an appointment at Medanta Hospital for breast lump treatment in Gurgaon.
Types of Breast Lump
There are four common types of breast lumps:
- Fibroadenoma,
- Breast cyst,
- Benign fibrocystic masses, and,
- Breast cancer.
- Fibroadenoma
- It is a type of non-cancerous lump that most frequently occurs in younger women
- It is a mobile lump that comes from an overgrowth of fibrous and glandular components of the breast
- Usually painless and occurs in women between the ages of 25 and 40.
- Fibroadenoma is one of the most common causes of a breast lump and can develop unilaterally or bilaterally.
- Hormones and their changing levels influence the development and regression of the lump.
- Having more than one cyst is common.
- Breast cysts
- These lumps are benign and filled with soft fluid
- They are usually noncancerous, and one or multiple breast cysts are common.
- A breast cyst feels like a grape or a water-filled balloon but may also feel firm.
- Breast cysts can be found in women of any age. They are more frequent in women before the menopausal phase, under age 50.
- They may occur in women of any age
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Fibrocystic breasts are composed of breast tissue that feels lumpy or ropelike
- These changes are characterized by breasts that are lumpy with multiple irregularities in the texture of the breast tissue itself.
- Fibrocystic breasts occur when a woman’s breasts are overly sensitive to fluctuating hormones in the body.
- Women with fibrocystic breasts may have pain associated with many lumps
- Breast cancers
- Uncontrolled proliferation of the breast cells that are malignant
- These are usually painless and firmer in texture than both cysts, and fibroadenomas
- About 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast carcinoma during their lifetime.
- The chance of recovery is very good if it’s detected at an early stage.
- Very rarely, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Dr. Rajeev Agarwal offers assessment and treatment for every type of breast lump in Gurgaon.
| Type of breast lump | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fibroadenoma | -Usually painless but tender masses may be malignant. -Fast-growing, rubbery, and mobile -Feel firm and lumpy to the touch in the form of smooth balls |
Diagnosis is arrived at through – A physical examination – Ultrasound imaging – Mammography – Needle biopsy followed by microscopic examination |
Lumpectomy or excisional biopsy sent for malignancy screening |
| Breast cysts | – Smooth, mobile, oval, or round lump. – A clear, yellow. Dark brown or straw coloured nipple discharge – Pain in the breast – Proportionate changes in the breast size according to the menstrual cycle. |
– Physical examination – Mammogram – Breast ultrasound – Fine needle aspiration or a breast biopsy – Breast MRI – Ultrasound-guided biopsy – MRI guided biopsy – X-ray guided biopsy |
If malignancy is confirmed, surgery is performed. Radiation therapy – External Beam Therapy – Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) – Brachytherapy (Interstitial Therapy) Chemotherapy Needle aspiration to remove the fluid Frequent follow up to observe any changes |
| Fibrocystic changes | – Breast lumps – Complaint of generalized breast pain, tenderness or discomfort – Breast nodules on touch or lumpy tissue change in size – Green or dark brown discharge from the nipple – Monthly increase in breast pain |
– Clinical examination – Mammogram – Ultrasound – Fine needle aspiration – Biopsy of the breast |
– Fine needle aspiration – Surgical excision – Pain relievers – NSAIDs |
| Breast cancer | – New lump in the breast or underarm – Swelling or thickening of part of the breast. – Dimpling of the skin of the breast – Redness in the nipple area or the breast or both – Retraction of the nipple or pain in the nipple. – Nipple discharge, including blood. – Change in the size or shape of the breast. – Pain in the whole breast area |
– Breast ultrasound – Diagnostic mammogram – MRI of the breast – Breast biopsy |
– Surgery – Radiation therapy – Chemotherapy – Biological therapy – Hormonal therapy |
If you are concerned about breast lumps, schedule a consultation with Dr. Rajeev Agarwal for breast lump treatment in Gurgaon
Which doctor should I see for breast lumps?
Breast lumps can be a symptom of an impending condition such as :
- Infections in the breast, such as mastitis that, is common in women who are breastfeeding
- Abnormalities in the milk ducts such as blockages that may occur in lactating women
- Hormonal disruption- lumps
- Breast cancer – Lumps can often be the first sign of a breast cancer diagnosis.
- Trauma to the breast – When there is injury, small blood vessels rupture, causing the blood to collect into haematoma. This may appear as a lump.
- Fibroadenoma- These are non-cancerous tumors that are common in premenopausal women
- Lipoma – benign tumors of the breast that arise from soft tissue
- Fibrous cysts of the breast
Breast Lump Treatment in Gurgaon is available with Dr. Rajeev Agarwal, a senior surgical oncologist.
Which doctor should I consult for breast pain?
If the pain in your breasts has been persistent for more than four weeks, then it is time for you to seek medical help. You may consult your gynaecologist or a surgical oncologist for a complete evaluation.
A gynaecologist will perform an extensive physical examination and order certain investigations as deemed necessary. Depending on the results, the opinion of a surgical oncologist must be taken to proceed with the treatment.
Breast Lump Treatment in Gurgaon is now readily accessible with Dr. Rajeev Agarwal, who will answer all your questions
What is the treatment for breast lump?
Breast lump treatment will depend on the cause and origin. Most often, it is one of the following:
- Antibiotics, if it is due to an infection- may occur in men also but are more common in women
- When there is an excessive fluid collection, it will need to be aspirated.
- If the lump is suspicious on palpation, an excision biopsy may be required for investigation.
- In case the lump is cancerous, then depending on the type and grade of cancer, one or more of these are usually advised:
- Mastectomy
- Lumpectomy
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Weight loss to manage blood levels of cholesterol
Breast Lump Treatment in Gurgaon and more services are available with Dr. Rajeev Agarwal
Can breast lump be treated without surgery?
Breast Lump Treatment does not always require surgical intervention. Sometimes non-invasive and non-surgical options can be effective.
- Lumpectomy – Where the lump is excised for investigation as well as it is a therapeutic procedure
- Cryoablation- This is a technique through which the breast lump is frozen in order to destroy it. A sensitive tool called the cryoprobe is used to infuse gas that freezes the lump and causes its instant regression.
Diagnostic Tests for Breast Lumps
When a breast lump is detected, it is essential to determine its nature and potential risks. Various diagnostic tests and imaging techniques can aid in accurate assessment. Here are some common tests used for breast lump evaluation:
Clinical Examination
If you notice any changes or lumps in your breast or armpit area, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider immediately. They will perform a thorough clinical examination, checking for the size, shape, texture, and mobility of the lump. They may also inquire about your medical history and any relevant symptoms.
Mammogram
A mammogram is an X-ray examination of the breast tissue. It is a standard screening tool used to detect any abnormalities or changes in breast tissue, including lumps. Mammograms can help identify both benign and malignant breast lumps.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to create a picture of the breast tissue. It can help differentiate between fluid-filled cysts and solid masses. Ultrasound is particularly useful for assessing lumps in young women or those with dense breast tissue.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
MRI scans provide detailed images of breast tissue and can aid in detecting small abnormalities that may be missed by mammography or ultrasound. It is especially valuable for high-risk patients or when the results of other tests are inconclusive.
Biopsy
A biopsy involves taking a small tissue sample from the breast lump for examination under a microscope. It helps determine whether the lump is benign or cancerous. There are various biopsy techniques, including fine-needle aspiration, core needle biopsy, and surgical biopsy.
Ductogram (Galactography)
If there is nipple discharge, a ductogram may be performed. It involves injecting contrast material into the affected duct and taking X-rays to identify any abnormalities or blockages.
Genetic Testing
In cases where there is a family history of breast cancer or known genetic mutations, genetic testing may be recommended to assess the risk of developing breast cancer.
It is crucial to consult a healthcare professional promptly when a breast lump is discovered. The appropriate diagnostic tests can help provide accurate information about the lump’s characteristics and guide the most suitable breast lump treatment Gurgaon. Remember that early detection and timely intervention are key factors in successful breast lump management.
Visit Dr. Rajeev Aarwal for breast lump treatment in Gurgaon.
Where Dr Agarwal sees patients in Gurgaon
Dr Rajeev Agarwal is Senior Director, Breast Services at Medanta, The Medicity, Sector 38, Gurugram, near Rajiv Chowk. Appointments can be made on 9811107368/0124 4141414 from Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 04:00 PM, or by email at [email protected] /[email protected].
With breast imaging and pathology services available within the hospital, patients can often complete their clinical examination, ultrasound, and biopsy during a single visit rather than making separate trips for each step. Those coming from outside Delhi and the NCR may choose to complete the assessment over two days, depending on the investigations required. Sharing previous reports and scan results before the appointment lets the consultation focus on understanding the findings and deciding next steps, rather than spending time gathering paperwork.
Why Choose Dr Rajeev for Breast Lump Treatment?
Dr Rajeev Agarwal is a surgical breast cancer specialist in Gurgaon with over 40 years of experience. He has treated thousands of patients over the years and treats them with care and compassion. His experience over the years ensures that the right diagnosis is made with the utmost accuracy.
He counsels all his patients with the right information about the diagnosis and eases their stress about the diagnosis. He is highly trained in the most advanced treatment techniques in oncology that translates into careful treatment for his patients.
He has worked as a senior oncologist at well-known hospitals in Delhi and now heads Medanta’s breast cancer division as its Director. He is well versed in performing procedures such as sentinel node biopsy with ultrasound-guided biopsy, stereotactic biopsy, and MRI-guided biopsy. The accuracy of his diagnosis along with his clinical experience helps his patients receive the right care at the right time.