Breast and Lymphatic System Basics

To better understand breast changes, it helps to know what the breasts and lymphatic system are made of.

What are breasts made of?

Breasts are made of connective tissue, glandular tissue, and fatty tissue. Connective tissue and glandular tissue look dense, or white on a mammogram. Fatty tissue is non-dense, or black on a mammogram. Dense breasts can make mammograms harder to interpret.

Breasts have lobes, lobules, ducts, an areola, and a nipple.

• Lobes are sections of the glandular tissue. Lobes have smaller sections called lobules that end in tiny bulbs that can make milk.
• Ducts are thin tubes that connect the lobes and lobules. Milk flows from the lobules through the ducts to the nipple.
• The nipple is the small raised area at the tip of the breast. Milk flows through the nipple. The areola is the area of darker-colored skin around the nipple. Each breast also has lymph vessels.

What is the lymphatic system made of?

The lymphatic system, which is a part of your body's defense system, contains lymph vessels and lymph nodes.

• Lymph vessels are thin tubes that carry a fluid called lymph and white blood cells.
• Lymph vessels lead to small, bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are found near your breast, under your arm, above your collarbone, in your chest, and in other parts of your body.
• Lymph nodes filter substances in lymph to help fight infection and disease. They also store disease-fighting white blood cells called lymphocytes.

Check With Your Health Care Provider About Breast Changes

Check with your health care provider if you notice that your breast looks or feels different. No change is too small to ask about. In fact, the best time to call is when you first notice a breast change.

Breast changes to see your health care provider about:

A lump (mass) or a firm feeling

• A lump in or near your breast or under your arm
• Thick or firm tissue in or near your breast or under your arm
• A change in the size or shape of your breast

Lumps come in different shapes and sizes. Most lumps are not cancer.

If you notice a lump in one breast, check your other breast. If both breasts feel the same, it may be normal. Normal breast tissue can sometimes feel lumpy.

Some women do regular breast self-exams (BSE). Doing a BSE regularly can help you learn how your breast normally feels and make it easier to notice and find any changes.

Remember—doing a BSE regularly is not a substitute for regular mammograms.

Always get a lump checked. Don't wait until your next mammogram. You may need to have tests to be sure that the lump is not cancer.

Nipple discharge or changes

• Nipple discharge (fluid that is not breast milk)
• Nipple changes, such as a nipple that points or faces inward (inverted) into the breast

Nipple discharge may be different colors or textures. Nipple discharge is not usually a sign of cancer. It can be caused by birth control pills, some medicines, and infections.

Get nipple discharge checked, especially fluid that comes out by itself or fluid that is bloody.

Skin changes

• Itching, redness, scaling, dimples, or puckers on your breast

If the skin on your breast changes, get it checked as soon as possible.

"I was in the shower one morning, when I felt a small lump in my breast. I was afraid and busy, but I didn't let that stop me. I made an appointment to see my doctor. I got the answers I needed."

Talk with your health care provider.

To get the most from your visit, talk with your health care provider about any breast changes you notice, as well as your personal medical history and your family medical history.

Tell your health care provider about breast changes or problems:

• These are the breast changes or problems I have noticed: ________________________________
• This is what the breast change looks or feels like: (For example: Is the lump hard or soft? Does your breast feel tender or swollen? How big is the lump? What color is the nipple discharge?) ______________________________________________________________________________
• This is where the breast change is: (For example: What part of the breast feels different? Do both breasts feel different or only one breast?) _____________________________________________
• This is when I first noticed the breast change: __________________________________________
• Since then, this is the change I've noticed: (For example: Has it stayed the same or gotten worse?) ______________________________________________________________________________

Share your personal medical history:

• I've had these breast problems in the past: ____________________________________________
• These are the breast exams and tests that I have had: ___________________________________
• My last mammogram was on this date: _______________________________________________
• My last menstrual period began on this date: ___________________________________________
• These are the medicines or herbs that I take: __________________________________________
• Right now, I:
  • Have breast implants
  • Am pregnant
  • Am breastfeeding
• I've had this type of cancer before: ___________________________________________________

Share your family medical history:

• My family members have had these breast problems or diseases: __________________________
• These family members had breast cancer: ____________________________________________
• They were this old when they had breast cancer: ________________________________________

For a printable checklist, please see page 6 ² of the Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women pdf.

Breast Changes During Your Lifetime That Are Not Cancer

Most women have changes in their breasts during their lifetime. Many of these changes are caused by hormones. For example, your breasts may feel more lumpy or tender at different times in your menstrual cycle.

Other breast changes can be caused by the normal aging process. As you near menopause, your breasts may lose tissue and fat. They may become smaller and feel lumpy. Most of these changes are not cancer; they are called benign changes. However, if you notice a breast change, don't wait until your next mammogram. Make an appointment to get it checked.

Young women who have not gone through menopause often have more dense tissue in their breasts. Dense tissue has more glandular and connective tissue and less fat tissue. This kind of tissue makes mammograms harder to interpret--because both dense tissue and tumors show up as solid white areas on x-ray images. Breast tissue gets less dense as women get older.

Before or during your menstrual periods, your breasts may feel swollen, tender, or painful. You may also feel one or more lumps during this time because of extra fluid in your breasts. These changes usually go away by the end of your menstrual cycle. Because some lumps are caused by normal hormone changes, your health care provider may have you come back for a return visit, at a different time in your menstrual cycle.

During pregnancy, your breasts may feel lumpy. This is usually because the glands that produce milk are increasing in number and getting larger.

While breastfeeding, you may get a condition called mastitis. This happens when a milk duct becomes blocked. Mastitis causes the breast to look red and feel lumpy, warm, and tender. It may be caused by an infection and it is often treated with antibiotics. Sometimes the duct may need to be drained. If the redness or mastitis does not go away with treatment, call your health care provider.

As you approach menopause, your menstrual periods may come less often. Your hormone levels also change. This can make your breasts feel tender, even when you are not having your menstrual period. Your breasts may also feel more lumpy than they did before.

If you are taking hormones (such as menopausal hormone therapy, birth control pills, or injections) your breasts may become more dense. This can make a mammogram harder to interpret. Be sure to let your health care provider know if you are taking hormones.

When you stop having menstrual periods (menopause), your hormone levels drop, and your breast tissue becomes less dense and more fatty. You may stop having any lumps, pain, or nipple discharge that you used to have. And because your breast tissue is less dense, mammograms may be easier to interpret.

"I pay more attention to my breasts since my doctor did follow-up tests on changes that were found."

Finding Breast Changes

Here are some ways your health care provider can find breast changes:

Clinical breast exam

During a clinical breast exam, your health care provider checks your breasts and nipples and under your arms for any abnormal changes. This exam is part of a routine check-up.

Mammogram

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of your breast tissue. This test may find tumors that are too small to feel. During a mammogram, each breast is pressed between two plastic plates. Some discomfort is normal, but if it's painful, tell the mammography technician.

The best time to get a mammogram is at the end of your menstrual period. This is when your breasts are less tender. Some women have less breast tenderness if they don't have any caffeine for a couple of days before the mammogram.

After the x-ray pictures are taken, they are sent to a radiologist, who studies them and sends a report to your health care provider.

Both film and digital mammography use x-rays to make a picture of the breast tissue. The actual procedure for getting the mammogram is the same. The difference is in how the images are recorded and stored. It's like the difference between a film camera and a digital camera.

• Film mammography stores the image directly on x-ray film.
• Digital mammography takes an electronic image of the breast and stores it directly in a computer. Digital images can be made lighter, darker, or larger. Images can also be stored and shared electronically.

A research study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) showed that digital mammography and film mammography are about the same in terms of detecting breast cancer. However, digital mammography may be better at detecting breast cancer in woman who are under age 50, have very dense breasts, or are premenopausal or perimenopausal (the times before and at the beginning of menopause).

Talk with your health care provider to learn more about what is best for you.

Mammograms are tests to check for breast changes that are often too small for you or your doctor to feel. Getting mammograms on a regular basis is the best way to find breast cancer early in most women. Talk with your health care provider about how often to get mammograms.

Talk with the women in your life. Let them know that mammograms save lives. Take time to care for yourself and those who need you.

"I'm glad to know that a test as simple and easy as a mammogram can find most breast changes early."

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging, also called MRI, uses a powerful magnet, radio waves, and a computer to take detailed pictures of areas inside the breast. MRI is another tool that can be used to find breast cancer. However, MRIs don't replace mammograms. They are used in addition to mammograms in women who are at increased risk of breast cancer.

MRIs have some limits. For example, they cannot find breast changes such as microcalcifications. MRIs are also less specific than other tests. This means that they may give false-positive test results—the test shows that there is cancer when there really is not.

Talk with your health care provider about having other screening tests, such as an MRI, in addition to mammograms. Ask your health care provider if you are at increased risk of breast cancer due to:

• Harmful changes (mutations) in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene
• A family history of breast cancer
• Your personal medical history

Getting Your Mammogram Results

You should get a written report of your mammogram results within 30 days of your mammogram, since this is the law. Be sure the mammography facility has your address and phone number. It's helpful to get your mammogram at the same place each year. This way, your current mammogram can be compared with past mammograms.

If your results were normal:

• Your breast tissue shows no signs of a mass or calcification.
• Visit your health care provider if you notice a breast change before your next appointment.

If your results were abnormal:

• A breast change was found. It may be benign (not cancer), premalignant (may become cancer), or cancer.
• It's important to get all the follow-up tests your health care provider asks you to.

If you don't get your results, call your health care provider.

Keep in mind that most breast changes are not cancer. But all changes need to be checked, and more tests may be needed.

"I used to think when a mammogram found something, it was cancer. It turns out that most breast changes are not cancer. That's one thing I sure was glad to learn!"

What can a mammogram show?

Mammograms can show lumps, calcifications, and other changes in your breast. The radiologist will study the mammogram for breast changes that do not look normal and for differences between your breasts. When possible, he or she will compare your most recent mammogram with past mammograms to check for changes.

Lump (or mass)

The size, shape, and edges of a lump give the radiologist important information. A lump that is not cancer often looks smooth and round and has a clear, defined edge. Lumps that look like this are often cysts. See Breast Changes and Conditions: Getting Follow-up Test Results ³ for more information about cysts. However, if the lump on the mammogram has a jagged outline and an irregular shape, more tests are needed.

Depending on the size and shape of the lump, your health care provider may ask you to have:

• Another clinical breast exam
• Another mammogram to have a closer look at the area
• An ultrasound exam to find out if the lump is solid or is filled with fluid
• A test called a biopsy to remove cells, or the entire lump, to look at under a microscope to check for signs of disease

Calcifications

Calcifications are deposits of calcium in the breast tissue. They are too small to be felt, but can be seen on a mammogram. There are two types:

• Macrocalcifications look like small white dots on a mammogram. They are common in women over 50 years old. Macrocalcifications are not related to cancer and usually don't need more testing.
• Microcalcifications look like tiny white specks on a mammogram. They are usually not a sign of cancer. However, if they are found in an area of rapidly dividing cells, or grouped together in a certain way, you may need more tests.

Depending on how many calcifications you have, their size, and where they are found, your health care provider may ask you to have:

• Another mammogram to have a closer look at the area
• A test called a biopsy to check for signs of disease

Are mammogram results always right?

Mammography is an excellent tool to find breast changes in most women who have no signs of breast cancer. However, it may not detect all breast cancers. See your health care provider if you have a lump that was not seen on a mammogram or notice any other breast changes.

"Even though I was nervous, I'm glad I got the breast biopsy my doctor asked me to. As I waited for my results, it helped to remember the words of my doctor: 'Most breast changes are not cancer.'"

Follow-up Tests to Diagnose Breast Changes

An ultrasound exam, an MRI, a biopsy, or other follow-up tests may be needed to learn more about a breast change.

"My doctor said my mammogram found something 'abnormal.' That scared me, so I went back for more testing. It turned out that I had a benign cyst. It wasn't cancer. That was a relief."

Ultrasound

An ultrasound exam uses sound waves to make a picture of breast tissue. This picture is called a sonogram. It helps radiologists to see if a lump or mass is solid or filled with fluid. A fluid-filled lump is called a cyst.

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging, also called MRI, uses a powerful magnet, radio waves, and a computer to take detailed pictures of areas inside the breast. Sometimes breast lumps or large lymph nodes are found during a clinical breast exam or breast self-exam that were not seen on a mammogram or ultrasound. In these cases, an MRI can be used to learn more about these changes.

Breast biopsy

A breast biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of breast cells or tissue, or an entire lump. A pathologist then looks at the sample under a microscope to check for signs of disease. A biopsy is the only way to find out if cells are cancer.

Biopsies are usually done in an office or a clinic on an outpatient basis. This means you will go home the same day as the procedure. Local anesthesia is used for some biopsies. This means you will be awake, but you won't feel pain in your breast during the procedure. General anesthesia is often used for a surgical biopsy. This means that you will be asleep and won't wake up during the procedure.

Common types of breast biopsies:

• Fine-needle aspiration biopsy
  A fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a simple procedure that takes only a few minutes. Your health care provider inserts a thin needle into the breast to take out fluid and cells.
• Core biopsy
  A core biopsy, also called a core needle biopsy, uses a needle to remove small pieces or cores of breast tissue. The samples are about the size of a grain of rice. You may have a bruise, but usually not a scar.
• Vacuum-assisted biopsy
  A vacuum-assisted biopsy uses a probe, connected to a vacuum device, to remove a small sample of breast tissue. The small cut made in the breast is much smaller than with surgical biopsy. This procedure causes very little scarring, and no stitches are needed.

Your doctor may use ultrasound or mammography during a breast biopsy to help locate the breast change.

• Surgical biopsy
  A surgical biopsy is an operation to remove part, or all, of a lump so it can be looked at under a microscope to check for signs of disease. Sometimes a doctor will do a surgical biopsy as the first step. Other times, a doctor may do a surgical biopsy if the results of a needle biopsy do not give enough information.

When only a sample of breast tissue is removed, it's called an incisional biopsy. When the entire lump or suspicious area is removed, it's called an excisional biopsy.

If the breast change cannot be felt, wire localization, also called needle localization, may be used to find the breast change. During wire localization, a thin, hollow needle is inserted into the breast. A mammogram is taken to make sure that the needle is in the right place. Then a fine wire is inserted through the hollow needle, to mark the area of tissue to be removed. Next, the needle is removed, and another mammogram is taken. You then go to the operating room where the surgeon removes the wire and surrounding breast tissue. The tissue is sent to the lab to be checked for signs of disease.

"My doctor found what felt like a lump during an exam. She said I should get a biopsy. I was afraid. But my doctor told me that it's always best to find out exactly what the problem is and take care of it early."

Questions to ask if a biopsy is recommended:

• Why is a biopsy needed? What will it tell us? ___________________________________________
• What type of biopsy will I have? How will the biopsy be done? ______________________________
• Where will the biopsy be done? How long will it take? ____________________________________
• Will it hurt? _____________________________________________________________________
• How much breast tissue will be removed?_____________________________________________
• Will I be awake? ________________________________________________________________
• What tests will be done on the breast tissue? __________________________________________
• When will I know the results?_______________________________________________________
• Will there be side effects? _________________________________________________________
• How should I care for the biopsy site? ________________________________________________
• Will I need to rest after the biopsy? __________________________________________________

Questions to ask about your biopsy results:

• What were the results of the biopsy? _________________________________________________
• What do the biopsy results mean? __________________________________________________
• What are the next steps? Do I need more tests? ________________________________________
• Who should I talk with next? ________________________________________________________
• Do I have an increased risk of breast cancer? __________________________________________
• Who can give me a second opinion on my biopsy results? ________________________________

For a printable checklist, please see page 19 ⁴ of the Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women pdf.

Breast Changes and Conditions: Getting Follow-up Test Results

Test results will tell if you have:

Breast changes that are not cancer ⁵
Breast changes that are not cancer, but increase your risk of cancer ⁶
Breast changes that may become cancer ⁷
Breast cancer ⁸

Breast changes that are not cancer

These changes are not cancer and do not increase your risk of breast cancer. They are called benign changes.

Adenosis: Small, round lumps, or a lumpy feeling that are caused by enlarged breast lobules. Sometimes the lumps are too small to be felt. If there is scar-like tissue, the condition may be painful and is called sclerosing adenosis.

Cysts: Lumps filled with fluid. Breast cysts often get bigger and may be painful just before your menstrual period begins. Cysts are most common in premenopausal women and in women who are taking menopausal hormone therapy.

Fat necrosis: Round, firm lumps that usually don't hurt. The lumps most often appear after an injury to the breast, surgery, or radiation therapy.

Fibroadenomas: Hard, round lumps that may feel like a small marble and move around easily. They are usually painless and are most common in young women under 30 years old.

Intraductal papilloma: A wart-like growth in a milk duct of the breast. It's usually found close to the nipple and may cause clear, sticky, or bloody discharge from the nipple. It may also cause pain and a lump. It is most common in women 35-55 years old.

Ask your doctor when you will get your test results. See the chart in Breast Conditions and Follow-Up Care 9 for follow-up information.

Breast changes that are not cancer, but increase your risk of cancer

These conditions are not cancer, but having them increases your risk of breast cancer. They are considered risk factors for breast cancer. Other risk factors include, for example, your age and a family history of breast cancer.

• Atypical hyperplasia:
  • Atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the breast lobules.
  • Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the breast ducts.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the breast lobules. There are more abnormal cells in the lobule with LCIS than with ALH. Since these cells have not spread outside the breast lobules, it's called "in situ," which is a Latin term that means "in place."

The abnormal cells found in these conditions are not cancer cells. If you have ALH, ADH, or LCIS, talk with a doctor who specializes in breast health to make a plan that works best for you. Depending on your personal and family medical history, it may include:

• Mammograms every year
• Clinical breast exams every 6 to 12 months
• Tamoxifen (for all women) or raloxifene (for postmenopausal women). These drugs have been shown to lower some women's risk of breast cancer.
• Surgery. A small number of women with LCIS and high risk factors for breast cancer may choose to have surgery.
• Clinical trials. Talk with your health care provider about whether a clinical trial is a good choice for you.

"Instead of stressing that something abnormal was found, I realized how lucky I was to have this small breast change found early."

Breast changes that may become cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): DCIS is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct. These cells have not spread outside the duct to the breast tissue. This is why it is called "in situ," which is a Latin term that means "in place." You may also hear DCIS called Stage 0 breast carcinoma in situ or noninvasive cancer.

Since it's not possible to determine which cases of DCIS will become invasive breast cancer, it's important to get treatment for DCIS. Talk with a doctor who specializes in breast health to learn more. Treatment for DCIS is based on how much of the breast is affected, where DCIS is in the breast, and its grade. Most women with DCIS are cured with proper treatment.

Treatment choices for DCIS include:

• Lumpectomy. This is a type of breast-conserving surgery or breast-sparing surgery. It is usually followed by radiation therapy.
• Mastectomy. This type of surgery is used to remove the breast or as much of the breast tissue as possible.
• Tamoxifen. This drug may also be taken to lower the chance that DCIS will come back, or to prevent invasive breast cancer.
• Clinical trials. Talk with your health care provider about whether a clinical trial is a good choice for you.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast. Breast cancer cells:

• Grow and divide without control
• Invade nearby breast tissue
• May form a mass called a tumor
• May metastasize, or spread, to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body

After breast cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out the extent, or stage, of the cancer. The stage is based on the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread. Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer.

For more information about breast cancer and to get answers to any questions you may have, call 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). One free booklet you can ask for is: What You Need To Know About Breast Cancer ¹⁰. You can also visit the National Cancer Institute (NCI) online at www.cancer.gov.

Getting the Support You Need

It can be upsetting to notice a breast change, to get an abnormal test result, or to learn about a new condition or disease. We hope that the information in this booklet has answered some of your questions and calmed some of your fears as you talk with your health care provider and get the follow-up care you need.

Many women choose to get extra help and support for themselves. It may help to think about people who have been there for you during challenging times in the past.

• Ask friends or loved ones for support. Take someone with you while you are learning about your testing and treatment choices.
• Ask your health care provider to:
  • Explain medical terms that are new or confusing
  • Share with you how other people have handled the types of feelings that you are having
  • Tell you about specialists that you can talk with to learn more
• Get in touch with the organizations listed in Resources to Learn More ¹¹ to learn more.

"I tried not to let the worries of tomorrow bother me today. It meant figuring out what I could and could not control. Talking with other women helped me."

Breast Conditions and Follow-Up Care

More information on these breast conditions can be found on www.cancer.gov or by calling 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).