Breast lumps, or breast palpable masses, are the second most common breast symptoms, after mastalgia. These must be distinguished from the normal nodularity of the breast.[1] They can be of cystic or solid nature, which can’t be appropriately distinguished just based on physical examination.[2] Usually a breast lump is only palpable after reaching 2 cm of diameter.[3]Breast lumps are more commonly found in premenopausal women, becoming less frequent with age.[4]
The most common etiologies are fibroadenomas, cysts and carcinomas. The probability of malignancy on a breast lump increases with age.[5]
Factors like the woman’s age and physical characteristics of the mass, palpated by the clinician, may provide clues about its etiology on an initial assessment. However, a definitive diagnosis must be pursued, since all breast lumps warrant thorough evaluation.[6]
Every palpable mass, whose benign nature cannot be appropriately determined by ultrasound, will require biopsy for tissue diagnosis. This also applies to lesions that cannot be visualized by mammography. The role of the mammography in this setting is also to look for other coincident lesions that may not be palpated.[7]
The unnamed parameter 2= is no longer supported. Please see the documentation for {{columns-list}}.
3
Life-Threatening Causes
Common Causes
Causes by Organ System
Cardiovascular
No underlying causes
Chemical/Poisoning
No underlying causes
Dental
No underlying causes
Dermatologic
No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect
No underlying causes
Ear Nose Throat
No underlying causes
Endocrine
No underlying causes
Environmental
No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic
No underlying causes
Genetic
No underlying causes
Hematologic
No underlying causes
Iatrogenic
No underlying causes
Infectious Disease
No underlying causes
Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic
No underlying causes
Neurologic
No underlying causes
Nutritional/Metabolic
No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic
No underlying causes
Oncologic
No underlying causes
Ophthalmologic
No underlying causes
Overdose/Toxicity
No underlying causes
Psychiatric
No underlying causes
Pulmonary
No underlying causes
Renal/Electrolyte
No underlying causes
Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy
No underlying causes
Sexual
No underlying causes
Trauma
No underlying causes
Urologic
No underlying causes
Miscellaneous
No underlying causes
Causes in Male in Alphabetical order
The unnamed parameter 2= is no longer supported. Please see the documentation for {{columns-list}}.
3
References
↑Kumar, Vinay; Abbas, Abul K.; Fausto, Nelson.; Robbins, Stanley L. (Stanley Leonard); Cotran, Ramzi S. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disea. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. ISBN978-0-7216-0187-8.
↑Andreoli, Thomas E.; Cecil, Russell L. (Russell La Fayette) (2010). Andreoli and Carpenter's Cecil essentials of medicin. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier. ISBN978-1-4160-6109-0.
↑Kumar, Vinay; Abbas, Abul K.; Fausto, Nelson.; Robbins, Stanley L. (Stanley Leonard); Cotran, Ramzi S. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disea. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. ISBN978-0-7216-0187-8.
↑Kumar, Vinay; Abbas, Abul K.; Fausto, Nelson.; Robbins, Stanley L. (Stanley Leonard); Cotran, Ramzi S. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disea. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. ISBN978-0-7216-0187-8.
↑Kumar, Vinay; Abbas, Abul K.; Fausto, Nelson.; Robbins, Stanley L. (Stanley Leonard); Cotran, Ramzi S. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disea. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. ISBN978-0-7216-0187-8.
↑Bickley, Lynn S.; Szilagyi, Peter G.; Bates, Barbara (2009). Bates' guide to physical examination and history taki. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams Wilkins. ISBN0-7817-8058-6.
↑Andreoli, Thomas E.; Cecil, Russell L. (Russell La Fayette) (2010). Andreoli and Carpenter's Cecil essentials of medicin. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier. ISBN978-1-4160-6109-0.