What Does a Lump in the Breast Mean?
A lump in the breast is any swelled or raised bump that appears on a person's breast tissue, according to MedlinePlus. Although they are most common among women, breast lumps can affect both males and females.
Breast Cancer
A breast lump may signal that a person has a malignant tumor. Breast cancer is most common among women, especially among those who are 55 years old and older, according to the American Cancer Society. A small minority of men, especially those around 60 and 70 years old, get breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Non-Cancerous Lumps
Some women, especially those who are childbearing age, develop benign lumps in their breasts. These lumps include fibrocystic breast changes, dense and bumpy-textured lumps; cysts, soft and fluid-filled sac-like protrusions, and fibroademas, tumors with a rubber-like texture. Lipoma and hamartoma are conditions that can cause fatty tumors to appear on the breasts.
Puberty
During puberty, girls develop "breast bumps," which are protrusions that appear before they develop breasts. Many boys develop temporary lumps in their breast tissue during puberty, according to MedlinePlus.
Infections and Injuries
Mastitis is an infection that affects the breast tissue, sometimes causing it to become swollen. Sometimes an injury to the breast, caused by a car accident or an object hitting the breast, can cause it to become swollen.
Other Causes
Intraductal papilloma causes non-cancerous tumors to appear in the milk ducts of the breasts of women who are between 35 and 55 years old, according to MedlinePlus. Sometimes babies develop temporary lumps in their breast tissue because estrogen is transferred from their mother to them, according to MedlinePlus.
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