Breast Lumps Removal

There are different types of lumps in the breast and not all of them are cancerous. Breast development abnormalities present from birth, premature breast development in pre-teenagers and solid masses in breast like fibroadenoma, breast abscesses (lactating and non-lactating) and cysts. Fibroadenomas are usually present in teenagers and those in early twenties. Most fibroadenomas are 1 – 2cm in size and growth beyond 5cm is unusual. These lumps may resolve on their own spontaneously.

Lactating breast abscesses arise from unsatisfactory breastfeeding which may cause milk retention and stasis (the stoppage or diminution of flow). This could lead to infection and can be treated with antibiotics early on. Non-lactating breast abscesses can occur in circumstances other than lactation. These lumps can be treated with antibiotics and ultrasound-guided drainage at the early stages.

Breast cysts usually occur in the premenopausal period (35 – 50 years of age). They may be single or multiple. About 5% of women develop a breast cyst. They normally contain around 20ml of fluid and are easily diagnosed using sonar (ultrasound). Treatment is then followed up by aspiration to remove the fluid.

For more information on breast lumps, download our brochure ‘Breast Lumps: Should You Worry?’.

Breast lumps removal is performed to prevent a cancerous tumour from spreading to other parts of your body. Whether a doctor can perform breast lumps removal depends on the size and stage of the tumour as well as factors such as the size of the breast.

Benefits of going for breast lumps removal include:

• Minimal scarring to the breast with small incision (scar is about 2 – 5cm in size)
• Only a small piece of tissue is removed, which leaves much of your breast’s appearance and sensations intact
• Minimal downtime with quick recovery and patients can return to normal activity shortly after procedure
• Short length of hospital stay, ranging from day surgery to 2 days of stay under local or general anaesthesia.

Early detection and treatment of breast abnormalities increase the chances of recovery with minimal disruption to the breast tissue. It’s important to examine your breasts regularly for signs of change and report any abnormal findings to your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and follow-up treatment. Breast lumps or changes in the breast should not be ignored. There are a number of benign or non-cancerous breast conditions and diseases that if correctly diagnosed, are relatively easy to treat and keep under control.

During examination, the doctor would ask about your personal and family medical history, and about the changes you have noticed in your breast. A doctor will examine the lump from its size, texture and the way it moves within the breast. Benign (non-cancerous) lumps often feel different from cancerous lumps. The surgeon will then order a mammogram or ultrasound and may recommend a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) procedure to obtain a sample of the affected breast tissue (a biopsy) to be sent to the lab for testing and diagnosis. How your breast lump is treated thereafter depends on the biopsy results. If the lump is big or symptomatic (painful, palpable), or if imaging looks suspicious, needle biopsy will be done to ascertain nature of the lump.

For more information on the various breast biopsy procedures available, how to prepare for one, and what happens after, download our brochure ‘Breast Biopsy: All You Need to Know’.