Breast Lumps: What You Need to Know
If you check the look and feel of your breasts regularly, there’s a chance you may come across a breast lump (also called a breast mass or growth). While some breast lumps may be caused by cancer, others aren’t. In fact, most breast lumps that are studied under a microscope (doctors call this a biopsy) are not cancerous (benign).
Having a breast lump is very common, with about 90% of women developing lumps from benign fibrocystic breast changes and about 43% of men developing these lumps from conditions such as gynecomastia.
“It’s normal for breast lumps to form due to hormonal changes, simple cysts, injuries, or infections,” says Irene Kang, MD, a medical oncologist and the medical director of women’s health oncology at City of Hope Orange County.
Although breast lumps may not be a cause for concern, if you feel one, it’s important to get it checked out by a healthcare provider. They can help figure out what may be causing the lump and a treatment plan, if necessary.
What do breast lumps feel like?
Breast lumps can vary in shape, size, and texture. “Typically, breast lumps feel harder than the surrounding breast tissue,” Kang says. “Some breast lumps may feel soft and moveable with smooth edges, while others might be hard and stationary with uneven edges.”
Most breast lumps are painless, but some may cause pain and discomfort — particularly “if the lumps are breast cysts or are near nerves in the breast,” says Anne Peled, MD, co-director of Sutter Health Pacific Medical Center Breast Cancer Program in San Francisco.
What conditions cause breast lumps?
For some people, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast. Here are some other benign, or noncancerous, health conditions that may cause breast lumps:
Breast cysts: A benign fluid-filled sac that can appear as a lump in the breast. It may cause a smooth, rubbery lump under the skin of the breast.
Fibroadenomas: These are hard, painless, benign tumors made of different tissues. These lumps can be as small as a pea or as big as a golf ball and feel smooth, round, firm, or rubbery.
Fibrocystic breast changes: These changes occur when you develop cysts in areas of fibrosis, which is an excess buildup of fibrous tissue in the breast. They can cause your breast tissue to have a lumpy or ropy texture.
Benign phyllodes tumors of the breast: These rare tumors begin in the connective tissue of the breast (called the stroma). They can grow large very quickly, and the lump is typically painless and feels firm.
Mastitis: A breast infection that typically occurs during breastfeeding but can happen in other situations, too. As your body fights the infection, you may develop a breast lump.
Sclerosing adenosis: A benign breast condition that develops when scar-like fibrous tissue forms in breast glands that produce milk (called breast lobules). It may cause a lump that is big enough to feel on your breast.
Fat necrosis: A benign condition that occurs when fat tissue in your breast dies due to injury, surgery, or radiation therapy. Fat necrosis develops when firm scar tissue replaces the damaged breast tissue, leaving a lump that feels tender or painful.
Lipomas: A breast lipoma is a benign tumor of fat located under the skin of the breast. A lipoma tends to be the shape of an oval, soft to the touch, movable, and painless.
Breast hemangioma: A rare benign tumor made of blood vessels. It can cause a small breast lump that’s red or brown with a round or oval shape.
Gynecomastia: This condition causes abnormal breast tissue growth in males. It typically starts as a lump under the nipple and can affect one or both breasts. It may cause discomfort or nipple tenderness.
Can you have breast cancer without a lump?
It’s possible to have breast cancer without experiencing a breast lump. “Many breast cancers — especially early-stage cancers like stage 0 or stage I — either don’t form a lump at all or the lumps associated with them are so small they can’t be felt,” Peled says.
Invasive lobular carcinoma is an uncommon type of breast cancer that’s less likely to form a lump than other breast cancers. This is because lobular breast cancer cells grow in sheets rather than clumps.
When to see your doctor for breast lumps
Breast lumps aren’t typically a cause for concern, but you should visit your healthcare provider if you develop a new lump or notice other changes to your breast. Here’s when to seek medical care:
You find a new breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding breast tissue.
You notice a change in the shape, size, or appearance of your breast.
You experience breast pain that doesn’t go away after your next period or persists for an extended period if you don’t or no longer menstruate.
You notice changes in your breast’s skin, such as redness, itchiness, scaling, puckering, or dimpling (skin has a texture like an orange peel).
You have a newly inverted nipple.
You experience nipple discharge.
How breast lumps are diagnosed
If you think you have a breast lump, your primary care provider or gynecologist will typically start with a physical exam to check for any changes in your breast. They’ll examine your breasts, chest wall, underarms, and neck as you sit upright and again while you lie on your back.
Depending on the results of your physical exam, your healthcare provider may recommend you receive imaging tests to learn more information about the breast lump. These tests may include a mammogram, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, or a combination of these tests.
Treatment for breast lumps
Treatment for a breast lump will depend on its cause, as some breast lumps will heal on their own. Your healthcare provider will recommend a treatment that’s best for you.
Treatments for a breast lump may include:
fluid drainage for breast cysts that are large or painful
antibiotics for a breast infection
a biopsy to learn more about a lump that may be cancerous, is getting larger in size, or is painful
surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, or a combination of these treatments if a biopsy reveals the lump is breast cancer
— Last updated on March 29, 2025 at 7:27 PM