What is the difference between breast fibroids and breast cysts?

Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
Updated on May 12, 2025
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Lobular hyperplasia and breast hyperplasia are the same, collectively referred to as breast hyperplasia. Clinically, it manifests as cyclical swelling and pain in the breasts, often occurring or worsening during the premenstrual period, and diminishing or disappearing after menstruation. Mild cases may go unnoticed by the patient, while severe cases can affect daily life and work. However, some patients do not exhibit obvious cyclical changes, and some may experience unilateral or bilateral breast swelling or needle-like pain, which can extend to the shoulder, upper limbs, or the chest and back. A few patients may have nipple discharge, and the duration of the disease can sometimes be lengthy, but symptoms usually disappear or lessen after menopause. Upon physical examination, nodular masses of varying sizes can be felt in one or both breasts, which are firm yet not hard, sometimes tender to the touch. The masses are not clearly demarcated from the surrounding breast tissue but are not adhered to the skin or chest muscles, sometimes presenting as indistinctly bounded thickened areas.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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What should I do about lobular hyperplasia of the breast?

For cases with mild symptoms or less severe conditions, treatment is generally not necessary; regular follow-ups with breast ultrasound or mammography are sufficient. For those with pronounced symptoms, medication and symptomatic treatments can be given, as detailed below: Chinese herbal medicine can be used, treating breast hyperplasia through methods that soothe the liver, regulate qi, and harmonize the Chong. Endocrine treatments are also an option, though preferably avoided, but can be administered before menstruation for those who experience significant pain during the premenopausal period. Vitamin therapy, including vitamins B, C, and E, can improve liver function and regulate basal metabolism, as well as enhance the function of the autonomic nervous system, serving as supplementary medicine for this condition. Recently, vitamin E is also considered to have pain-relieving effects. For individuals with a family history of breast cancer, lesions confined to a part of the breast, or those who still have significant lumps after menstruation, it is recommended to conduct a puncture biopsy and consider surgical treatment if necessary.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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Is lobular hyperplasia nodules serious?

Small hyperplastic nodules are generally not serious. If the nodules are between 0.2-0.4cm, we can treat them with traditional Chinese medicine, using methods to soothe the liver, regulate qi, and harmonize the thoroughfare and conception vessels to treat breast nodules; If the nodules are between 0.6-0.8cm, breast ultrasound determines them as benign. If the psychological burden is light, regular ultrasound examinations can be scheduled. If the psychological burden is heavy, the nodules can be removed by minimally invasive Mammatome rotation to achieve cure. If the nodules are larger than 1.0cm, it is recommended to first perform cytology aspiration and biopsy to prevent misdiagnosis. If determined to be benign, surgical treatment can be used; if malignant, a full-body exam is recommended to check for distant metastasis to formulate a surgical treatment plan.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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Symptoms of lobular hyperplasia cancerization

The symptoms of lobular hyperplasia transforming into cancer primarily include feeling a painless, solitary small lump in the breast. The lump is hard, with a rough surface, and its boundary with surrounding tissue is not clearly defined. It is not easily movable within the breast. As the lump progresses, it can invade the Cooper's ligaments, causing them to contract, and thus the skin over the lump often appears dimpled, known as the dimpling sign, which is an early sign of breast cancer. As breast cancer continues to develop, it can cause the breast to shrink, become harder, elevate the nipple, and may lead to the ducts being pulled, flattened, retracted, or even invaginated. The affected breast may also significantly enlarge over several months, causing an increase in volume and prominence.

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Written by Jia Rui
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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What is bilateral mammary lobular hyperplasia?

Bilateral mammary lobular hyperplasia is a type of abnormal proliferative disease of the breast tissue. Patients with mammary hyperplasia primarily experience breast pain and have breast lumps, and it is a benign disease. This condition is caused by an imbalance in ovarian endocrine levels, changes in hormone levels in the body, and an increase in estrogen levels, leading to excessive proliferation and incomplete restoration of breast tissue. It is common in clinical practice to examine breast diseases when breast pain and lumps are present.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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The difference between breast cancer and lobular hyperplasia

The difference between breast cancer and lobular hyperplasia is as follows: Lobular hyperplasia primarily manifests as nodular lumps that can be felt within one or both breasts. These lumps vary in size, are tough but not hard, and sometimes tender to touch. The boundaries of the lumps with the surrounding breast tissue are not clear, but they are not adherent to the skin or chest muscles, sometimes presenting as areas of thickening with unclear boundaries. Breast cancer, on the other hand, appears as a solitary, painless lump that is hard as stone and can be round, oval-shaped, or irregular. It can grow large, has poor mobility, and can easily adhere to the skin and surrounding tissues. The growth of the cancerous lump is not related to the menstrual cycle or emotional changes, and it can grow rapidly in a short time. On a mammogram, breast cancer lumps may show tiny calcifications, abnormal vascular shadows, and spicules.