![]() Having a breast cyst or cysts does not increase your risk of developing breast cancer in the future. Even though you may be relieved that it’s a benign condition, you may still worry about breast cancer. You may feel anxious about having a breast cyst or cysts. Does a breast cyst increase my risk of breast cancer? Having HRT can increase the risk of developing new cysts. Can breast cysts be prevented?Ĭysts happen in response to normal female hormones and there’s no known way to prevent them. You should see your GP if you think your cyst has returned or you think you have a new one. The treatment for cysts is usually the same each time. If so, taking pain relief like paracetamol should help.īreast cysts can come back or you may develop new cysts. You might feel some discomfort as the fluid is being drawn off, and the area may feel bruised and tender for some days afterwards. Once the fluid is removed, the cyst usually disappears. If the fluid is blood-stained, it will be sent to a laboratory for testing. The fluid can vary in colour and range from clear to very dark. Sometimes this is done using ultrasound to help find the cyst. If the cyst is large or causing discomfort, your specialist may draw off the fluid using a fine needle and syringe. Most cysts go away by themselves and are nothing to worry about. If you do have a breast cyst or cysts, you will not usually need any treatment or follow-up. You can call our free Helpline on 08 if you’d like more information about any tests you may be having. If the lump can be easily felt, your specialist may put a fine needle into it and draw off the fluid to confirm that it’s a fluid-filled cyst. However, for some women under 40 mammograms may still be needed to complete the assessment. Younger women’s breast tissue can be dense, which can make the x-ray image less clear so normal changes or benign conditions can be harder to identify. If you’re under 40 you’re more likely to have an ultrasound than a mammogram. Ultrasounds can help to find out if a lump is solid or fluid-filled, such as a benign cyst. You may also have a mammogram or ultrasound scan (using sound waves to produce an image of the breast), or both. Diagnosing breast cystsĪt the breast clinic you’ll have a breast examination. However, they’re still likely to refer you to a breast clinic where you’ll be seen by specialist doctors or nurses and have further tests. ![]() If you see your GP because you have found a breast lump, they’ll sometimes be able to say whether it feels like a cyst. Women who have hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may still get cysts.Ĭysts usually become noticeable as a lump in the breast or are found by chance during a routine screening mammogram (breast x-ray) or while having investigations at a breast clinic for another reason. Although you can develop breast cysts at any age, they’re most common in women over 35.Īfter the menopause (when your periods stop), as oestrogen levels fall, cysts usually stop forming. During the menstrual cycle oestrogen causes fluid to be produced. Sometimes, the milk glands can fill up with fluid these are breast cysts.Ĭysts may appear naturally as the breast alters with age, due to normal changes in the oestrogen hormone levels. ![]() This tissue gives breasts their size and shape. The milk glands are surrounded by fibrous support tissue and fat, known as breast tissue. What causes breast cysts?īreasts are made up of lobules (milk-producing glands) and ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple). However, many women can have cysts and not be able to feel them at all.Īlthough much more common in women, men can also get breast cysts. Before a period, cysts may become larger and feel sore and tender as hormone levels change. For some people, cysts can feel uncomfortable and even painful. They’re usually oval or round in shape and can develop quickly anywhere in the breast. What are the symptoms of breast cysts?īreast cysts can feel soft or hard and can be any size, ranging from a few millimetres to several centimetres. It’s thought they develop naturally as the breast changes with age due to normal changes in hormone levels. They’re one of the most common causes of a breast lump, and can develop in either one or both breasts. What are breast cysts?īreast cysts are a benign (not cancer) condition. Does a breast cyst increase my risk of breast cancer? 1.
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