Common 

Breast Changes

Things to Know

NIH Publication No. 05-5729

Printed August 2005 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

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Breast changes occur in almost all women. In fact, most of these

changes are not cancer (these changes are called benign). 

Common breast changes include:

■ Lumpiness

■ Single lumps

■ Nipple discharge

Changes can also happen monthly, due to your period.

Finding Breast Changes

There are two main ways to find breast changes:

■ Clinical breast exam—a breast exam done by your health

care provider

■ Mammogram—an x-ray of your breasts

Some women check their own breasts for changes. If you find a

change, it’s important to see your health care provider. Make sure

to watch the change you found until your appointment. But a

breast self-exam and a clinical breast exam are not substitutes for

mammograms.

Mammograms

It is important to see your doctor and get a mammogram every 

1 to 2 years after age 40 to check for breast changes.

Mammograms are used for both screening and diagnosis. 

A screening mammogram is used to find breast changes in women

who have no signs of breast cancer. Most women get two x-rays of

each breast.

If your screening mammogram shows a breast change since your

last one, or if you or your health care provider notice a change, 

you may need to have a diagnostic mammogram. That means more

x-rays are taken to get clearer, more detailed pictures of the breast. 

A digital mammogram is another way to take a picture of your

breasts. The procedure for having a digital mammogram is the

same as for a screening mammogram, except that it records the 

x-ray images in computer code instead of on x-ray film.

What Mammograms Can Show

The radiologist will look at your x-rays for breast changes that do

not look normal. The doctor will look for differences in each

breast. He or she will compare your past mammograms with your

most recent one to check for changes. The doctor will also look for

lumps and calcifications (see next page).

Lump (or “mass”)

The size, shape, and edges of a lump sometimes can give doctors

information about whether or not it may be cancer. On a

mammogram, a growth that is benign often looks smooth and

round with a clear, defined edge. Breast cancer often has a jagged

outline and an irregular shape. 

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Normal Benign Cyst

(Not Cancer)

Cancer
Calcifications

A calcification is a deposit of the mineral calcium in the breast

tissue. Calcifications appear as small white spots on a

mammogram. There are two types:

■ Macrocalcifications are

large calcium deposits often

caused by aging. These are

usually not a sign of cancer.

■ Microcalcifications are 

tiny specks of calcium that

may be found in an area of

rapidly dividing cells. 

If calcifications are grouped together in a certain way, it may be a

sign of cancer. 

Depending on how many calcium specks you have, how big they

are, and what they look like, your doctor may suggest that you have:

■ A different type of mammogram that allows the radiologist

to have a closer look at the area

■ Another screening mammogram, usually within 

6 months

■ Other tests such as ultrasound or biopsy

Are Mammogram Results Always Right?

No. Although they are not perfect, mammograms are the best

method to find breast changes. If your mammogram shows a

breast change, sometimes other tests are needed to better

understand it. Even if the doctor sees something on the

mammogram, it does not mean it is cancer.

Calcium in the diet

does not create

calcium deposits

(calcifications) in

the breast.

For More Information, You Can Contact . . . 

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Cancer Information Service

Toll free: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)

TTY: 1-800-332-8615

Information on cancer prevention and screenings, as well as answers to

questions about cancer.

NCI Online

Web site: www.cancer.gov

Chat online www.cancer.gov and click on “Need Help?”

Free booklets that are available online and in print include:

• Understanding Breast Changes 

• Mammograms: Not Just Once, But For a Lifetime 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Toll free: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) 

TTY/TDD: 1-877-486-2048

Web site: www.cms.gov or www.medicare.gov

Information about Medicare benefits to pay for screening mammograms.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Toll free: 1-888-842-6355

Web site: www.cdc.gov/cancer

Information on free breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic

services to women with low incomes. 

National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC)

Toll free: 1-800-994-WOMAN (1-800-994-9662)

TTY: 1-888-220-5446

Web site: www.4woman.gov

A gateway to women’s health information, sponsored by the U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

Web site: www.fda.gov/cdrh/mammography

A list of FDA-approved mammography facilities.

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What Your Doctor May Recommend

• Doctors often watch cysts over time or use fine-needle

aspiration to remove the fluid from the cyst

• Ultrasound may be used to see whether a lump is solid or

filled with fluid

• Sometimes diagnosed with fine-needle aspiration 

• If the fibroadenoma does not appear normal, the doctor may

suggest taking it out to make sure it is benign

• Another mammogram to have a closer look at the area

• A biopsy may be used for diagnosis

• A mammogram and/or ultrasound may be used to see

whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid

• A biopsy may be used for diagnosis

• Another mammogram to have a closer look at the area

• A biopsy may be used for diagnosis

Conditions

Cysts

Fibroadenoma

Macrocalcifications

Lump (or ”mass”)

Microcalcifications

Features

• Fluid-filled lumps 

• Usually not cancer 

• Occur most often in women ages 35–50

• Often in both breasts

• Some too small to be felt

• Hard, round, benign growth

• Feels like rubber; moves around easily

• Usually painless

• Often found by the woman herself

• Appears on mammogram as smooth, round

lumps with clearly defined edges

• Can get bigger when a woman is 

pregnant or nursing

• Appear on a mammogram as large calcium

deposits

• Often caused by aging 

• Usually not cancer

• If they are grouped together in a certain way,

they may be a sign of cancer

• May be round and smooth

• May be caused by normal hormone changes

• Irregular borders may be a sign of cancer

• Appear on a mammogram as tiny specks of

calcium that might be in an area of rapidly

dividing cells

• If they are grouped together in a certain way,

they may be a sign of cancer

Possible Mammogram Results and Follow-Up Care

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