Most Common Breast Symptoms

Breast Pain

Pain in one or both breasts can result for a number of reasons, and is rarely the result of cancer. Hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle and benign conditions like intraductal papilloma, a non-cancerous tumor, can also produce pain in the breasts.

Nipple Discharge

Nipple discharge while breastfeeding is normal and usually resolves on its own over time. When it occurs in women who are not nursing, it is typically the result of a benign condition; however, it is advisable to seek medical attention to be sure. In rare cases, bloody nipple discharge can be an indication of breast cancer in some women, particularly if there is also a lump, and if the discharge is isolated to one breast and only affects a single duct.

The most common types of nipple discharge include:

• milky
• clear
• yellow
• green
• brown
• bloody
• thick
• sticky
• thin
• watery

Lump in Breast

While many lumps in the breast are not malignant, they should be examined by a breast specialist to rule out cancer. Benign breast conditions like Fibrocystic breasts result in breast lumps that are not cancerous, but a medical exam is always necessary for an accurate diagnosis.

Potential Causes of Breast Symptoms

Certain symptoms like nipple discharge and breast pain are normal during pregnancy and breastfeeding. While most non-breastfeeding women with symptoms usually do not have cancer, the only way to determine whether an underlying condition is to blame, or whether a symptom is the result of a benign or malignant tumor, is through a comprehensive breast exam and diagnostic testing by a breast care specialist.

The most common causes of breast symptoms are:

• Papilloma (benign tumor)
• Abscess
• Fibroadenoma (benign tumor)
• Fibrocystic breasts (benign breast lumps)
• Galactorrhea (nipple discharge not resulting from breast feeding)
• Breast infection
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
• Breast cancer