How to judge whether breast nodules are benign

Breast nodules are generally benign, but they can easily be stimulated by external factors and worsen, so patients need to receive timely treatment for breast nodules. To determine whether a breast nodule is benign, you can go to the hospital for CT treatment, and you can also make a judgment by massaging the affected area. So you can learn about 6 ways to distinguish between benign and malignant breast nodules and treat breast nodules in a timely manner.

When a breast nodule is discovered, how can one distinguish between benign and malignant? If you are not sure, come and have a look.

Breast nodules can be divided into benign and malignant. Benign ones include breast hyperplasia, breast cysts, breast fibroadenomas, etc., while malignant ones include breast diseases such as breast cancer. In clinical practice, the determination of whether a nodule is benign or malignant should be made by an oncologist, who will provide more accurate judgment. Generally speaking, oncologists will use the following six methods to determine the nature of nodules. Of course, special cases will be analyzed specially.

Next, let’s learn about these 6 methods.

1. Smooth or not

Benign breast nodules feel like eggs or quail eggs and are very smooth; otherwise, they are mostly malignant.

2. How is the hardness?

Benign breast nodules are usually not very hard; malignant nodules are not painful or itchy when touched, but are relatively hard.

3. Round or Not Round

If the breast nodule feels round, perfectly circular or oval, with clear boundaries, it is mostly benign; if it feels irregular in shape and has blurred boundaries, it is more likely to be malignant.

4. How is the activity?

If the breast nodule is very mobile and can move 2-3 centimeters up and down or left and right, it is most likely benign; if the nodule is less mobile and is basically fixed and unable to move, it is more likely to be malignant.

5. How does the nodule volume change?

If the nodule grows rapidly over a period of time and does not disappear with the end of menstruation, then it is more likely to be malignant; otherwise, it is most likely to be benign.

6. Are there any other abnormal changes?

If there are abnormal changes such as discharge, bleeding, chest peeling, roughening of the chest skin, and "dimple"-like depressions, then the nodule is more likely to be malignant. If there are no these abnormal changes, the nodules are mostly benign.

The six methods mentioned above are often used by oncologists to determine the benign or malignant nature of breast nodules, but they are not the final criteria for diagnosing malignant breast diseases such as breast cancer. If the doctor believes that the patient's breast nodules are likely to be malignant, he or she will be advised to undergo further examinations (such as breast color ultrasound and mammography).

After the patient undergoes B-ultrasound and mammography X-ray examinations, the doctor will classify the nodules according to BI-RADS "Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System". The BI-RADS system is usually divided into 6 levels. Breast nodules in the first 3 levels are all benign nodules. Patients do not need special treatment, only regular check-ups. If the breast nodule is at level 4 of BI-RADS, then there is a certain chance of malignancy and further examinations such as puncture biopsy are needed to confirm whether it is a malignant breast disease such as breast cancer. If the nodule is level 5 or 6, it can basically be considered a malignant breast tumor.