How to treat breast cysts

For newborn babies, breast milk is the most nutritious food. In order to ensure that their children have enough breast milk, mothers will think of many ways to increase milk supply. In addition, the mother's mood also determines whether the breast milk is sufficient. Some mothers may experience milk congestion, which may block the milk ducts and form breast cysts. This is very distressing for both the baby and the mother. So, how can breast cysts be treated?

Breast cysts are divided into simple cysts (also known as cystic breast hyperplasia) and milk cysts. Both are benign lesions, covered by a thin layer of epithelial tissue, with the cystic contents mostly liquid, and appearing as anechoic nodules on B-ultrasound. Simple breast cysts are benign lesions mainly caused by ovarian dysfunction. Breast cysts are caused by ovarian dysfunction, decreased progesterone secretion, and increased estrogen secretion in the body, which leads to hyperplasia and shedding of the breast epithelium, causing the mammary lobules, tubules and terminal mammary ducts to become highly dilated and cystic. Clinically, simple breast cysts can be self-limited, and the lesions can stop after 3 years or more, but sometimes they can continue and eventually lead to cancer, but the chance is very small.

Causes

Simple cysts are the most common breast cysts. It is mainly due to endocrine disorders that cause ductal epithelial hyperplasia, resulting in duct extension, tortuosity, and folding. The duct wall at the folding site undergoes necrosis due to ischemia, forming a cyst. Galactocele, also known as milk retention cyst, is less common than simple cyst. It is mainly caused by blockage of a duct during lactation, which causes milk stasis and forms a cyst.

Clinical manifestations

1. Simple cyst

Simple cysts are the most common breast cysts, mainly due to endocrine disorders causing ductal epithelial hyperplasia and an increase in cells in the ducts, which causes the ducts to extend, tortuosity, and fold. The duct walls at the folds become necrotic due to ischemia, forming cysts.

Simple breast cysts are common in middle-aged women, with round or oval breast lumps as the main symptoms. The cysts can be single or multiple. In single cases, the tumor often grows rapidly and can be easily confused with breast cancer. The cyst often changes with the menstrual cycle and is accompanied by premenstrual breast pain. To confirm the diagnosis, mammography, ultrasound and needle aspiration cytology can be performed. If multiple punctures are ineffective, or if cytological or histological examinations confirm epithelial hyperplasia or papilloma, surgical treatment is appropriate.

2. Breast cyst

Galactocele, also known as milk retention cyst, is less common than simple cyst. It is mainly caused by blockage of a duct during lactation, which causes milk stasis and forms a cyst. Milk cysts can be found in any part of the breast, and are most common deep in the breast, often occurring during pregnancy or lactation or after lactation.

The main clinical symptom of milk cyst is breast lumps, which are mostly round or oval, with a smooth surface, a cystic feel, clear boundaries, high mobility, and no adhesion to the skin. In case of secondary infection, local inflammatory reactions such as redness, swelling, heat and pain may be seen, and enlarged lymph nodes may be felt in the ipsilateral axilla. If the cyst is large, the patient has a long history of illness, or has recurrent infections, surgical removal of the cyst is recommended.

examine

1. Breast palpation

If a tumor with clear boundaries, good mobility, and a smooth surface is felt during examination, attention should be paid to the possibility of a breast cyst.

2. Breast ultrasound and mammography

Breast ultrasound is very helpful in diagnosis. Malignancy should be considered for thick-walled cysts, uneven walls, or visible protrusions on the walls. Breast mammography can detect some cystic lesions that have already become malignant (with clustered or punctate calcifications).

diagnosis

The diagnosis can be made based on clinical manifestations and examination results.

treat

1. General treatment

Most breast cysts do not require surgical treatment, and clinical follow-up observation is the main approach. In addition, some malignant tumors, such as breast mucinous carcinoma, present as cysts as their main manifestation. Therefore, if breast cysts show symptoms such as cyst wall thickening and cyst wall growths, resection and biopsy may be considered to confirm the diagnosis.

2. Surgery

When excision is necessary, care should be taken to completely remove the breast cyst. If it is a malignant lesion, it should be treated according to the principles of breast cancer.

prevention

For breast milk cysts, milk discharge should be promoted during lactation to avoid acute mastitis and reduce the incidence of milk cysts.