Are breast cysts a worrying sign?

Many women worry that a lump in their breast could be a sign of breast cancer. In fact, not all lumps in the breast are cancerous.

Doctor performs breast ultrasound for patient at 108 Military Central Hospital - Photo: TTO

Never ignore a new lump, but don't panic if you find yourself with a breast cyst. This is a common condition and is rarely dangerous if properly monitored and managed.

Doctor PHAM QUANG HUY

In many cases, women suffer from breast cysts - a benign and quite common condition, especially in women between the ages of 35 and 50.

What is a breast cyst?

According to Dr. Pham Quang Huy, Department of Breast Surgery - Gynecology, Hanoi Oncology Hospital, breast cysts or breast cysts are fluid-filled sacs located in breast tissue. Cysts form when the mammary ducts become blocked and accumulate fluid.

Most breast cysts are benign, not a risk factor for breast cancer, and do not progress to serious disease. Small cysts are usually asymptomatic and are only discovered incidentally during ultrasound or mammography. However, if they are large, several centimeters or more, cysts can cause a feeling of tension, pain, or discomfort, especially before menstruation.

A person can have one or more cysts in one or both breasts. Breast cysts can also appear and disappear according to the hormonal cycle, which is common in premenopausal women or those taking postmenopausal hormone therapy.

"Breast cysts are divided into three main types. Simple cysts are the most common type, accounting for about 90% of all cysts, and are always benign. They have smooth walls, contain clear fluid, have no solid components, and are almost never likely to progress to cancer.

Mixed cysts contain both fluid and solid parts inside. The cancer rate can range from 14% to 23%, so doctors often prescribe a biopsy to clarify the nature.

Complex cysts are the type with irregular walls, walls, containing cloudy fluid and sometimes showing abnormal signs. However, the cancer rate in this group is still very low, less than 2%, and is often monitored periodically," Dr. Huy stated.

According to Dr. Huy, clinical symptoms of breast cysts vary depending on the size of the cyst. With small cysts, the patient feels almost nothing.

When the cyst is large, a round, mobile mass can be felt under the skin, with soft or firm density, clear boundaries, and sometimes pain, especially around the menstrual period. After menstruation, the cyst usually shrinks. Some patients may also experience nipple discharge or feel the breast area more tense than usual.

"The exact cause of breast cysts is still unclear, but many experts believe that fluctuations in female sex hormones, especially estrogen during the menstrual cycle, are factors that stimulate cyst formation. After menopause, when estrogen levels decrease sharply, breast cysts are less common," said Dr. Huy.

A gynecological cyst detected in a female patient through X-ray imaging - Photo: TTO

Can breast cysts turn into cancer?

According to Dr. Huy, the treatment of breast cysts depends on the size and the level of impact on the patient. In most cases, cysts do not require treatment because they can disappear on their own after a while.

If a large cyst causes pain or discomfort, your doctor may perform a fine needle aspiration to drain the cyst. However, cysts can recur, and in some cases, if the cyst recurs repeatedly or is suspicious, the patient may need surgery to remove it.

Another issue that women need to be concerned about is abnormal changes in breast cysts. This could be a condition called fibrocystic breast disease.

Doctor Le Thi Thu Trang, Department of Pathology, 108 Central Military Hospital, said that fibrocystic breast disease is a benign condition of the breast, with clinical manifestations often being uneven lumpiness when the patient touches the breast.

These changes may occur continuously or with the menstrual cycle. Fibrocystic breast disease is not harmful or dangerous, but it can cause pain or discomfort in the breasts. Furthermore, the condition can be mistaken for cancer.

"In particular, fibrocystic breast transformation is a combination of many changes in breast tissue such as ductal dilatation, fibrostromal proliferation, glandular tissue, the appearance of abnormal cells and calcium deposits. This condition is common in women of childbearing age, especially from 20 to 50 years old, and also appears in postmenopausal women using hormone replacement therapy.

Symptoms of fibrocystic breast changes can include dull pain, breast tension, and the appearance of a lump or thick mass, which is often worse before menstruation and decreases after menstruation," said Dr. Trang.

Examination when detecting a strange mass in the breast

Importantly, neither breast cysts nor fibrocystic changes increase the risk of breast cancer, experts say. However, because they can mimic other tumors, regular follow-up is essential.

Patients should see a doctor if they discover a strange mass in the breast, an unusual thickening, pain that does not subside during the menstrual cycle, or a clear change in size.

Breast self-examination, especially after your period, is a simple but effective way to detect abnormalities early. Women aged 40 and older should have a mammogram every year to screen for breast cancer early.

WILLOW

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/u-nang-tuyen-vu-co-phai-dau-hieu-dang-lo-20250723233121455.htm