Benign breast nodule
What is a benign breast nodule?
90% of breast nodules are benign tumors, not malignant ones.
Typical examples include fibroadenoma, intraductal papilloma, cyst and phyllodes tumor.
At St. Peter's Hospital, if an abnormal finding is detected after examination of a breast nodule, a specialist trained at Seoul National University Hospital performs the Mammotome procedure personally on the day of your visit.
Types
Fibroadenoma is the most common benign tumor of the breast. It occurs most often in women in their 20s and 30s and, on palpation, moves easily, has a clear border with the surrounding tissue, feels round, firm and rubbery, and is usually painless. In some cases, if it keeps growing or causes pain or discomfort, surgery such as a Mammotome procedure or local excision may be required.
Intraductal papillomas commonly arise in the milk ducts beneath the areola. Most are smaller than 0.5 cm, so patients rarely come to hospital because they have felt a lump. Intraductal papillomas are usually found because of nipple discharge, with clear watery or bloody discharge occurring repeatedly from one nipple. The lesion can be identified with mammography, breast ultrasound and ductography. Most are benign, but they are occasionally accompanied by carcinoma in situ or breast cancer, so a slightly wide excision is performed for biopsy.
Cysts are lesions commonly found on ultrasound, mainly in women in their 30s to 50s. A milk duct becomes blocked and stretches like a balloon, filling with fluid. If a cyst causes discomfort, draining the fluid by aspiration relieves it. However, if the aspirated fluid contains blood, a microscopic cytology test may be needed to check for malignancy. If a cyst recurs frequently or the fluid is blood-stained, surgical removal may have to be considered.
A phyllodes tumor is a relatively rare breast tumor that appears leaf-shaped inside under the microscope. 60-70% are benign, but 15~30% show malignant features, so once diagnosed by biopsy it must be removed by simple or wide excision. Even benign tumors can recur, so consistent follow-up is necessary.
Examination and diagnosis
Breast self-examination lets you check for abnormalities of the breast. It is best performed 3 days to 1 week after your period ends, when the breasts are softest. Postmenopausal women should set a fixed day each month and self-examine regularly.
If you find an abnormality on self-examination or have breast pain or discomfort, come in right away for a breast examination. A breast examination can find lesions missed on self-examination and allows further tests and their results to be confirmed.
Let both arms hang comfortably and observe the breasts
Clasp both hands behind your back
Push forward while applying force.
With both hands on your waist, the shoulders
while pushing the elbow forward
Tighten the chest and bend forward.
- 1
- Check whether the two breasts differ in size
- 2
- Check whether the skin is wrinkled or has any dimpled areas
- 3
- Check for nipple discharge
The first joints of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers Examine using the finger pads.
- Check for lumps above and below the collarbone and in the armpit.
- Starting below the collarbone, press the breast gently with the pads of the index, middle and ring fingers. Press from the outer side of the breast in clockwise circles, making the circles progressively smaller toward the inner side, drawing 3 circles on each breast.
- Examine the whole of one breast, feeling thoroughly in the direction of the arrows above.
- Repeat the same on the other breast.
Lie comfortably, place a pillow or a folded towel under the shoulder being examined, raise the arm on that side above your head, and examine with the opposite hand as in step 2.
Examination and diagnosis
This is a procedure in which a special needle about 0.5cm in diameter is inserted into the breast and, drawing like a vacuum cleaner, pulls in the breast tissue and removes the breast tumor.
Mammotome can remove benign breast nodules and also perform breast cancer biopsy.
Mammotome procedure vs. open excision
| Mammotome procedure | Conventional resection | |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesia | Local anesthesia or Sedation anesthesia | Local anesthesia or Sedation anesthesia |
| Scar | About 0.3~0.5cm | Determined by the size and location of the lesion (About 2~4cm) |
| Duration | About 20 minutes | About 50 minutes |
| Sutures | Special suture tape | Suture closure |
| Recovery period | Back to daily life right away | Possible from about 1~2 weeks later |
Treatment process
When a Mammotome procedure is needed
- 1
- When benign breast disease needs removal
- 2
- Microcalcifications seen on mammography
- 3
- When a fibroadenoma or fibrocystic disease needs removal
- 4
- Preoperative biopsy of breast lesions suspected of cancer
- 5
- Preoperative biopsy of ductal carcinoma in situ
- 6
- When there is a painful or growing lump
- 7
- When there is a lump with an irregular shape that is likely to grow
Post-treatment precautions
- Treatment results and duration may vary depending on individual symptoms.
- Temporary side effects may occur after treatment and vary with each individual's condition.