Benign breast disease
Benign breast disease
Benign breast conditions are non-cancerous and very common, especially among younger women and those who are premenopausal. Although these conditions are not life-threatening, they can cause significant anxiety and may occasionally require treatment or surveillance.
These can include harmless conditions like fibroadenomas (smooth, moveable lumps), cysts (small fluid-filled sacs), or fibrocystic changes, which can make the breast feel lumpy or tender. Other examples are intraductal papillomas (small growths inside the breast ducts) and duct ectasia (when a milk duct becomes widened or blocked).
While these conditions aren’t cancerous, they can sometimes feel or look similar to more serious issues, which is why it’s always best to get any changes checked by a specialist.
Most non-cancerous breast conditions don’t need treatment and just need to be monitored over time. In some cases — like if a fibroadenoma is large, or if a cyst is causing pain — we may recommend draining it (a process called aspiration) or removing it with a simple procedure to ease symptoms or confirm a diagnosis.
Some types of benign (non-cancerous) breast changes can lead to a slight increase of your risk of developing breast cancer in the future. If this applies to you, we’ll talk you through what it means, keep a closer eye on things, and offer a personalised plan to help you stay on top of your breast health.
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Whether you have a new symptom, a recent diagnosis, or you’re seeking a second opinion, our team is ready to listen, support, and offer guidance. You can expect appointments to fit your schedule, expert care, and decisions made with you, not for you.
We welcome referrals, self-referrals, and questions of any kind.