Three types of breast nodules

Breast nodules are a very common disease nowadays, especially for women who work long hours. This disease is more likely to occur and is more common among middle-aged women. Breast nodules can be roughly divided into three categories, but no matter which category it is, you must take it seriously and go to the hospital for a comprehensive examination and treatment in time, try to control the regrowth of nodules, and do chest massage frequently, which can slightly relieve symptoms. The following is a detailed introduction to the three categories of breast nodules.

1. Do Category III breast nodules require biopsy?

1.1. Women aged 40 to 60 are at high risk of breast cancer. Therefore, for female patients over 40 years old, if new nodules are found within 1 year, regardless of size, single or multiple, surgical biopsy and pathological examination are recommended;

1.2. For patients aged 35 to 39 years, if single (single solid nodule > 1 cm) or multiple breast nodules are found, communicate with the patient to choose surgery or follow-up observation based on the patient's wishes. If the patient has serious concerns and it is difficult to have regular checkups, minimally invasive surgery can be considered;

1.3. Patients with a family history of breast cancer, a history of breast cancer, breast ductal adenomas, or a history of surgery for atypical hyperplasia of the breast ductal epithelium should be closely monitored regardless of the size of the nodule and undergo surgical biopsy as soon as possible to rule out malignant transformation.

1.4. Multiple nodules in any age group: When imaging examinations cannot determine that all nodules are benign, surgical biopsy is also recommended. It is difficult for doctors to determine the nature of all nodules based on imaging examinations alone. It is possible that one of several nodules is cancer, so surgical pathology is required for diagnosis.

1.5. If the patient plans to become pregnant, surgical treatment before pregnancy is recommended. Because pregnancy and breastfeeding may cause tumor growth or even malignancy, surgical biopsy is recommended to avoid difficulties in diagnosis and treatment caused by breast lumps during pregnancy.

2. Typical symptoms of breast nodules

2.1. Breast lumps: They are often multiple, unilateral or bilateral, and are more common in the upper quadrant. The size and texture also change cyclically with menstruation. The lumps increase in size and become harder before menstruation, and decrease in size and become tough but not hard after menstruation. During palpation, the mass can be felt to have a nodular structure, of varying sizes, with unclear boundaries from surrounding tissues, often tender, with no adhesion to the skin and deep tissues, and can be pushed. The axillary lymph nodes are not enlarged.

2.2. Breast pain: Common symptoms include unilateral or bilateral breast pain or tenderness. The course of the disease varies from 2 months to several years. Most patients have the characteristic of cyclical pain, which occurs or worsens before menstruation and eases or disappears after menstruation. It must be noted that although the periodicity of mastalgia is a typical manifestation of this disease, the absence of this feature does not negate the existence of the disease. The main clinical manifestations of lobular breast hyperplasia are: breast fullness and pain 5-7 days before menstruation, which is relieved or even disappears during menstruation, and cyclical changes occur again before the next menstruation.