Most of the time, lumps in the breast are not a sign of cancer, being just a benign change that does not put life at risk. However, to confirm whether a nodule is benign or malignant, the best way is to perform a biopsy, which consists of removing a piece of the nodule to be evaluated in the laboratory, in order to identify whether there are cancer cells.
This type of examination can be ordered by the mastologist and is usually done as soon as changes in the mammogram appear that may indicate breast cancer.
However, through self-examination of the breast, the woman can also identify some characteristics that may lead her to suspect a malignant lump. However, in these cases, it is also recommended to go to the mastologist to do the necessary tests and confirm that there is a risk of cancer.
Features of malignant nodule
Although not an accurate way to identify a malignant lump, palpation of the breast can help identify features of cancer, which include:
- Irregular lump in the breast; Lump as hard as a small stone; Changes in the breast skin, such as increased thickness or color change; One breast appears much larger than the other.
In these cases, you should go to the mastologist to have a mammogram and, if necessary, do a biopsy, in order to confirm if it is indeed a malignant nodule and to start the appropriate treatment.
Breast pain, on the other hand, does not mean that the lump is malignant, being more easily related to hormonal changes, although there are cases in which the woman may experience pain when the cancer is very advanced. Learn more about the signs to watch out for during breast self-examination.
Also watch the following video and see how to do the self-exam correctly:
How to treat the lump
When there is a lump, but the doctor thinks there are no signs of malignancy on the mammogram, treatment can be done only with regular mammograms every 6 months, to assess whether the lump is growing. If it is growing, there is a greater risk of being malignant and then a biopsy may be requested.
However, if the malignancy is confirmed with the biopsy, treatment against breast cancer is started, which varies according to the degree of development, but which may include surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, to eliminate the cancer cells. Understand more about how breast cancer treatment is done.
