Can benign (noncancerous) cysts become cancerous?
Cysts are very common and rarely turn into cancers. But it’s extremely important to find out whether what you have is just a cyst or something else. If you feel a lump in your breast and you don’t know what it is, have your doctor check it. Some women get what is called fibrocystic change: cyst-like changes that can appear before the start of the menstrual cycle and later shrink or disappear. These are generally harmless. Even if you’ve had cysts in the past, if you find a new lump in your breast, don’t assume it’s a cyst. If the lump doesn’t go away or gets larger, it’s important to check it out with a doctor. Ultrasound is the easiest way to see if a lump is a cyst or not. Your doctor may insert a needle into a lump to see if it’s a cyst. In a simple cyst, the needle will drain off the fluid. A pathologist will check the fluid to make sure there are no cancer cells in it. If the lump is made up of breast cells, a tissue sample can be taken out with the needle and checked by a patholo
