Breast Cancer Awareness: Knowing the difference between a cyst and a tumor
Lumps in the breast or armpit area should always be treated as serious matters. Performing self-exams or having a clinical exam or mammogram performed in a timely manner can lead to early detection and treatment, which can greatly increase chances of survival.
However, lumps in the breast or armpit aren’t always dangerous. Some lumps can be cysts, which may feel like a lump but is actually a small sac filled with fluid. Cysts may appear singularly or in a cluster.
Is it a cyst or tumor?
To determine if a lump is a cyst or a tumor, a healthcare professional will perform an ultrasound. This scan will allow the professional to see if the sac is hollow or filled with fluid, determining if the patient needs any sort of treatment or if the issue will resolve itself on its own.
If the lump is fluid filled, it may not require any treatment, and may also swell and retract based on the hormone cycle of the patient and the patient’s menstrual cycle. If the cyst becomes bothersome, it can be drained by a professional by first applying local anesthetic and then removing the fluid with a needle and syringe. Some cysts will re-fill, requiring them to be removed surgically or simply left alone to recede on their own.
If there is a history of cancer within the family, cysts can act as a risk factor, indicating the possibility of cancer starting in the patient’s body. However, most cysts do not indicate cancer and are almost never associated with a high risk of cancer.
Types of tumors
Breast tumors can be identified as malignant, a mass of cancerous cells that can invade and damage surrounding tissue, or benign, a mass of cells usually unaggressive towards surrounding tissue that will not continue to grow.
A tumor is often biopsied to discover whether it is malignant or benign, or if it needs to be removed from the body before it affects any other areas. Metastatic cancer is when malignant tumors spread to other parts of the body through the lymph nodes, or lymphatic system, and form secondary tumors.
Tumors are classified by grade based on the severity of the cell mutation and the likelihood that it will spread throughout the body. Breast cancer is graded on a scale of one to three with one being the lowest stage of aggression and three being the highest.
Low-grade tumors, ranked at a one, most closely resemble normal tissue, whole high-grade tumors ranked at a three look the least like normal tissue and can be extremely aggressive.
Tumor grading can help best determine a treatment plan, however tumor grades should NOT be confused with stages of cancer.
For more information on stages of breast cancer, search our patient education section of our website or visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s page.
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