The number of women visiting hospitals due to accidentally discovered breast lumps is increasing. Most people worry that the lump they feel in their breast may be breast cancer. Are nodules in the breast really necessarily cancerous? We learned more about the possibility of cancer in breast nodules with a Hidoc specialist.
The number of women visiting hospitals due to breast nodules is increasing | Source: Getty Image Bank
Q. I feel a lump and lump in my left breast. Could it be breast cancer?
Breasts are not symmetrical, and the distribution of mammary tissue and fatty tissue may be different. It is generally known that women have more mammary tissue in their left breast and more fatty tissue in their right breast. This is believed to be due to hormonal effects. If your left breast feels more lumpy than your right breast, mammary gland tissue may be the cause. Mammary tissue is harder than fatty tissue and may feel like a collection of small, bean-shaped lumps. Therefore, there is no need to necessarily suspect breast cancer, but if symptoms such as an enlarged lump or pain appear, it is recommended to visit a hospital and receive treatment.
– Hidoc Surgery Consultant Manager Lee Ho (Jinju Goryeo Hospital)
Q. What are the chances that the lump is breast cancer?
A lump felt in the breast may be an early symptom of breast cancer, but not all lumps are breast cancer. It may be a normal tissue, a benign tumor, or a malignant tumor, that is, breast cancer. However, you cannot know how likely you are to have breast cancer until you get tested yourself. Mammography and ultrasound are usually done.
– Director Lee Hak-min, Hidoc surgical consultant (Yonsei Lee Hak-min Yu Surgery Clinic)
Q. What tests should I get if I feel a lump?
Breast ultrasound and X-ray are tests used to evaluate breast diseases. The two tests each have different principles and purposes, and there may be differences in the interpretation of the results. Breast ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to check the structure and tissue inside the breast, and is mainly effective in detecting breast nodules or diseases. On the other hand, a breast X-ray is a test that uses X-rays to check the structure and tissue of the breast, and can visualize breast microcalcifications and changes in tissue density. Breast X-rays can show subtle structural changes more clearly than ultrasound. If abnormal findings are observed during the examination, additional tests such as a biopsy are required to evaluate the possibility of cancer.
– Hidoc Surgery Consultant Manager Lee Ho (Jinju Goryeo Hospital)
Q. I heard that a mammotome procedure was performed after a nodule was identified. Is the lump removed because it is breast cancer?
The Mammotome procedure (vacuum aspiration-assisted lumpectomy) is a procedure that removes a tumor in the breast by suctioning it through a thin needle. This procedure is mainly performed on lesions that are not at risk of breast cancer. However, it is also performed for the purpose of a biopsy to diagnose breast cancer. Or, it may be removed and the removed tissue examined to determine whether it is malignant. If the tissue is examined and diagnosed as malignant, the tumor must be completely removed through surgery; if diagnosed as benign, no additional treatment is required.
– Hidoc Surgery Consultant Manager Lee Ho (Jinju Goryeo Hospital)
* This article is a reconstructed response from a Hidoc expert.
Help = Hidoc consulting doctor, Manager Lee I-ho (surgical specialist at Jinju Goryeo Hospital), Hidoc consulting doctor, Director Hak-min Lee (surgical specialist at Yonsei Lee Hak-minyu Surgery Clinic)
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2023-10-07 01:00:00
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