Differences between Breast Hyperplasia and Breast Cancer

Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
Updated on September 09, 2024
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Both breast hyperplasia and breast cancer can present as breast lumps. The lumps in breast hyperplasia are generally softer or of medium hardness, often occurring bilaterally with multiple lumps of varying sizes. They may appear nodular, plaque-like, or granular, are quite mobile, and have no adhesion to surrounding tissues. The size and characteristics of the lumps commonly change with the menstrual cycle and emotional fluctuations, and they tend to grow slowly, predominantly affecting young and middle-aged women. In contrast, breast cancer lumps are generally harder, usually unilateral and solitary. These lumps may be round, oval, or irregular in shape, can grow quite large, have limited mobility, and tend to adhere to the skin and surrounding tissues. The lumps are not related to the menstrual cycle or emotional changes, can increase in size rapidly over a short period, and are more commonly seen in middle-aged and older women. Sometimes breast cancer can be confused with breast hyperplasia, necessitating a hospital visit for examination and diagnostic differentiation by a doctor.

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Early-stage breast cancer symptoms

Early-stage breast cancer may exhibit several symptoms. The first is the presence of breast lumps. The second symptom might be nipple discharge, which can be serous, watery, or milky in nature. The third symptom might involve changes in the skin over the breast tumor, including skin adhesion, such as dimpling, engorgement of superficial veins, skin reddening, localized increase in temperature, and an orange-peel texture. The fourth symptom includes abnormalities of the nipple and areola, potentially featuring nipple retraction, erosion of the nipple, thickening of the nipple epithelium, and reddening. The fifth symptom could be breast pain.

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Types of breast cancer surgery

Breast cancer surgery types are generally still dominated by modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy can be divided into two types; one preserves both the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles, and the other removes the pectoralis minor muscle but preserves the pectoralis major muscle. Another option is breast-conserving surgery, which is feasible for tumors smaller than three centimeters and at least two centimeters away from the nipple. Nowadays, sentinel lymph node biopsy has become popular. If it proves that the sentinel lymph node has no metastasis, a single mastectomy can be performed.

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Breast Cancer Metastasizes to Which Locations

Breast cancer metastasis generally follows the following sites due to its anatomical structure and specific characteristics. The most common sites are the axilla, the contralateral breast, the contralateral axilla, and the areas above and below the clavicle, which is also known as the pipa bone, referring to the areas above and below the pipa bone. As for distant organs, based on the frequency or likelihood of occurrence, the most common are the lungs, bones, liver, and the brain, specifically within the head. These are referred to as the lungs, bones, liver, and head, which are the places most prone to distant organ metastasis.

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Early symptoms of breast cancer

The initial symptom of early breast cancer is a painless, single small lump with no redness or swelling around the skin. However, a few individuals may experience nipple discharge, typically fresh or stale blood. There may be slight indentations on the skin and some itching. Visually, some individuals might notice inverted nipples and lymph node metastasis under the armpits. The lump often has unclear boundaries, is hard in texture, has limited mobility, adheres to the skin, and is difficult to move within the breast tissue.

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Symptoms of breast cancer recurrence

The symptoms of recurrent breast cancer are related to the location and form of recurrence. For example, if breast cancer recurs at the chest wound site, the symptoms typically manifest as local lumps or localized ulcers, erosion, and bleeding. If the recurrence is in the lungs, liver, or brain, it usually appears in the form of tumors. Early lung tumors do not show symptoms, but if it invades the pleura and causes pleural effusion, it can lead to shortness of breath or chest pain. If a tumor grows too large on the liver, it can cause abdominal pain or symptoms like loss of appetite, unwillingness to eat, and other complications associated with liver diseases. If it metastasizes to the head, symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and a feeling of pressure in the eyes may occur. If it spreads to the bones, it can cause pain in the affected bone or fractures.