There are many types breast lumps that can affect males and females of any age. MedlinePlus, an online medical encyclopedia sponsored by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, reports that even babies can get breast lumps due to the estrogen they ingest through their mother's breast milk. Some types of breast lumps are more common than others and, rarely, these lumps may be indications of breast cancer.
Fibrocystic Breast Changes
The most common cause of breast lumps in women between the age of 30 and 50 is fibrocystic breast changes, according to Breast Cancer Network of Strength, an organization that published information about breast cancer. In fact, more than 50 percent of women in this age range will experience these changes. The lumps in this category include cysts, which are lumps filled with fluid; fibrosis, which is hardening of the breast tissue; and fibroadenomas, which are composed of both glandular and connective tissue. Atypical hyperplasia is another type of fibrocystic change involving the atypical growth of the size and number of breast cells. This is the only fibrocystic breast change that is associated with an increase risk of breast cancer.
Calcifications
Calcifications in the breast can also form detectable lumps, according to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength. Calcifications are small lumps made of calcium, and are often a sign of aging. In some cases, calcifications are indicative of other changes in the breast, and very rarely, may be a clue of pre-cancerous changes within the breast. In fact, benign, or non-cancerous calcifications tend to be larger in size than micro-calcifications that may indicate a pre-cancerous condition.
Breast Abscess
A breast abscess is a growth in the breast due to an infection of the breast tissue. The abscess is most commonly cause by a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus that is normally present on the skin. The bacteria enter the skin through a break in the skin, often through the nipple. This infection most commonly occurs in women who are breastfeeding. The swelling of the infected fatty breast tissue can cause pain in the breast.
Radial Scars
This type of dense tissue, also called complex sclerosing lesions, may look similar to cancer on a mammogram. Though radial scars in themselves are not cancerous, they may increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer. Thus, the American Cancer Society advises that women who have radial scars have more frequent exams to detect breast cancer early, if it does occur.
Breast Cancer
There is the possibility that a breast lump may be breast cancer. The American Cancer Society describes how breast cancer may begin in the cells of the ducts, which are the channels that deliver the breast milk to the nipple, or the milk-producing lobules. If the cancerous cells have not spread from the ducts or the lobules, the cancer is called "in situ." In the case that the cancer has spread, it is called "invasive," or "infiltrative."
