It is important to know that 80 percent of all breast lumps are benign, or non-cancerous and that the presence of benign breast lumps does not necessarily increase a woman's chances of developing breast cancer. The two most common kinds of lumps are fibrocystic lumps and fibroadinoma. Fibrocystic lumps also called fibrocystic change are fluid-filled cysts that form as a response to hormones in the breast glands, ducts or fibrous tissue. With this condition, one or both of the woman's breasts become lumpy and tender for about a week before each menstrual period. These symptoms then decrease the following week.
Fibrocystic lumps tend to disappear after menopause.
Fibroadenoma lumps are usually round and firm and can be moved around underneath the skin with the fingertips. This type of growth is usually not painful and usually appears as a single lump. Breast lumps occur mainly in women between the ages of 30 and 50. They are more common among women with a family history of breast lumps, and those with a high fat diet. Non-cancerous breast lumps in women under the age of 35 may disappear without treatment.