What Signs Suggest a Lump is Likely to Be Cancerous?
It is not possible for a woman or a physician to know for certain whether a breast lump indicates breast cancer until imaging exams (such as mammography and ultrasound) and/or biopsy are performed. A breast biopsy involves taking a sample of breast tissue and examining it under a microscope to determine whether it contains cancer cells. However, there are certain characteristics associated with lumps that can suggest whether they are more likely to be cancer or benign (non-cancerous). Signs that suggest a lump is more likely to be cancerous: • The lump is firm and hard • The lump is not discrete; it is not easily distinguishable • The lump is fixed in the breast; it does not move • There is only one lump • There is not an identical lump in the opposite breast • The skin of breast is dimpled • The lump is accompanied by bloody nipple discharge Signs that suggest a lump is less likely to be cancerous: • The lump is soft • The lump is discrete; it is easily distinguishable • The lump move
