Breast cysts - causes, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment

Breast cysts belong to a group of benign non-invasive changes in surrounding tissues resulting from hormonal disorders. They account for about 95% of all lesions diagnosed in the mammary glands. However, it should not be assumed in advance that the formation palpable in the mammary gland is actually a cyst. This is especially true for women who are genetically at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Breast cancer is being diagnosed in younger and younger women. In the initial stage, it is quite treatable, so it is worthwhile to conduct an ultrasound of the mammary glands at each follow-up visit to the gynecologist and remember about self-examination of the mammary glands, which should be carried out monthly from the age of 20. It is also very important to systematically carry out mammography in accordance with the recommendations of our gynecologist. Prevention of breast cancer allows you to identify disturbing changes at an early stage of their development, although the most commonly detected lumps and lumps in the breast during self-examination are harmless. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the fear that still blocks many women, avoiding visits to the gynecologist, self-examination of the mammary glands, ultrasound and mammography.

A breast cyst, or breast cyst, is usually not uncomfortable and may not be felt on self-examination of the breast if it is small. Small cysts do not require specialized treatment and surgery. The exceptions are large cysts, which can compress the nerves, causing pain and other discomfort that increases before menstruation, when the mammary glands become more tender due to the action of sex hormones. Cysts in the mammary gland are spherical, soft and mobile - they can be moved under the skin. They look like bubbles filled with liquid. Most often, small cysts in the breast are constantly monitored to see if they increase under the influence of hormones. If the cyst begins to grow rapidly, the doctor may decide to have surgery to remove the large cysts.

What are breast cysts?

Breast cysts are not a risk factor for developing breast cancer. These mild changes are due to hormonal imbalances, predominantly in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods, but are also diagnosed in young women. In most cases, breast cysts are diagnosed in women aged 55 years and older. Less commonly, cysts in the mammary gland are formed in women of childbearing age, which is associated with the processes occurring in the mammary glands aimed at maintaining the patency of the milk ducts and preparing the mammary gland for lactation. In order to understand the mechanism of formation of breast cysts, it is worth remembering the structure of the mammary gland.

How is the mammary gland arranged?

In the structure of the mammary gland, adipose tissue, mammary glands and milk ducts are distinguished, which consist of epithelial tissue. Breast cysts are formed when the epithelium grows in the milk ducts. They are in the form of bubbles. Over time, cysts in the breast may calcify and then become hard and are easily palpable on breast self-examination and are also visible on mammograms. Cysts can form in one or both breasts. In some cases, they can cover most of the breast.

Factors that increase the risk of cyst formation in the breast

Breast cysts are often benign growths diagnosed in women aged 55 and older. The risk of developing them increases with age - up to 90% of older women over 70 have cysts in their breasts. However, age is not the only factor that increases the risk of cyst formation. Several other factors have also been identified that contribute to the formation of single and multiple cysts in the breast. Breast cysts are more often diagnosed in:

• women who did not give birth and did not breastfeed;

• women who become pregnant after 35 years;

• women who take birth control pills or other hormonal drugs for a long time, both to avoid unwanted pregnancy and to treat various diseases.

Breast cysts are also more commonly diagnosed in women who smoke cigarettes and frequently use other drugs. The risk of developing a cyst in the breast also increases with the frequent use of various caffeinated drinks.

Causes of cyst formation in the breast

As already mentioned, the cause of the formation of cysts in the mammary glands is the hypertrophy of the epithelium inside the milk ducts. Changes in the milk ducts in the form of cysts do not give any symptoms for a long time. The causes of epithelial hyperplasia are mainly due to endocrine disorders and other risk factors listed above, for example. age, as well as long-term use of hormonal drugs to block ovulation and treat various disorders associated with the menstrual cycle. In most cases, breast cysts are caused by hormonal disorders that occur during menopause, as well as hormone replacement therapy used to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of menopause.

Moreover, the formation of breast cysts is affected not only by violations of the secretion of sex hormones, but also, in particular, by thyroid hormones. Thyroid disorders are increasingly being diagnosed in women of all ages, but the symptoms associated with them are often underestimated or mistaken for symptoms, such as fatigue.

Types of breast cysts

There are three types of cysts that can form in the breasts. The most common diagnosis is a simple fluid-filled cyst. Complex cysts with thick walls filled with thick fluid and benign hard nodules, or fibroadenomas, can also form in the breast. Although in most cases cysts in the breast do not turn into malignancy, with thick-walled cysts there is an increased risk of developing breast cancer, but it mainly affects women who are genetically predisposed to cancer.

Symptoms of a cyst in the mammary gland

In most cases, breast cysts develop asymptomatically. They can be felt during breast self-examination, but usually they do not cause unpleasant pain. Small cysts do not affect a woman’s well-being, but multiple or large cysts in the breast can cause increased breast tenderness during the menstrual cycle and exacerbate typical symptoms that occur before menstruation, i.e. slight swelling and tenderness in the breast.

It happens that very large cysts that compress the nerves cause radiating pain, for example, in the armpit. Due to the risk of developing breast cancer, it is necessary to monitor the health of the breast. Systematically conducted ultrasound examinations and mammography make it possible to identify various changes at the initial stage of their development, which increases the chances of a complete recovery from malignant tumor changes.

Breast cyst treatment

Most breast cysts do not require special treatment. Small, simple cysts are usually guided by ultrasound. The test is carried out during routine examinations in the gynecological office, to which a woman must come at least once a year. Elderly women at risk of developing tumor diseases of the breast and organs of the reproductive system are recommended to be examined twice a year.

Enlarged cysts can be removed by aspiration of the fluid that accumulates in the cyst, causing it to enlarge. This procedure involves performing a fine needle biopsy. If the fluid removed from the cyst is abnormal, such as blood, the cyst may need to be surgically removed and then subjected to histopathological examination.

If any alarming symptoms occur, such as increased pain, burning of the breast, discharge from the nipples, enlargement of one breast, reddening of the mammary glands and ulcers on the nipples, you should immediately consult a doctor for specialized examinations.

Important! All unusual ailments that occur during the menstrual cycle and after menopause require diagnostic tests. Changes in the mammary gland should not be underestimated, since they may indicate not only benign changes in the epithelium of the mammary ducts, but also a developing malignant tumor.