A major source of concern is tender breast enlargement with a lump beneath the nipple found in adolescent boys. The enlargement may be small or fairly significant. This is called gynecomastia and is common in boys during mid-puberty. It is a response to changing hormones and resolves over a period of months. Significant enlargement may be psychologically stressful for the individual.
Treatment consists of reassurance and time.
Only rarely is surgery necessary because of persistence of the gynecomastia or severe psychological trauma. The last cause of concern is finding a lump in the mature female breast. Every lump in a mature woman's breast should be checked out by the health care provider. Fortunately, more women are learning how to perform a breast self-exam and lumps are being found and diagnosed earlier. Some of the causes of lumps in a mature woman's breast are discussed below.