Types of Breast Lumps
There are two general categories of breast lumps. Malignant (cancerous) lumps are abnormal and often life-threatening growths of cells that doctors try to halt through surgery combined with radiation or chemotherapy. These attempts are not always successful, however.
Benign breast lumps, which can develop in more than 50 percent of the female population, are not a disease but a natural form of tissue change that is usually not dangerous. In fact, many benign lumps dissolve on their own. They also can be drained or surgically removed, and a variety of other surgical measures can help to alleviate the discomfort they cause. A biopsy can determine which type of lump has been detected.
Each general category of breast lump has specific characteristics. A cancerous lump is usually firm to the touch, has uneven edges and can be attached to skin or internal tissue. Changes in skin texture and nipple size may also be noticeable. Benign growths, many of which are identified as fibrocystic lumps, tend be smooth, have even edges and move easily when touched. They're also solid or cystic (change in shape when pressed). How and why these benign growths occur and what irritates them isn't clear and has been the subject of much debate.
Benign Lump Irritation
Efforts to observe what triggers growth and irritation of benign breast lumps has led many physicians and women to assume that benign breast lumps are directly caused or irritated by drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks. But a variety of clinical studies designed to test this theory did not link caffeine use to benign breast lump growth or sensitivity. Recently, doctors have suggested that caffeine may not directly inflame the lumps but instead trigger hormonal imbalances that do so. This is in keeping with the fact that many women stop reporting benign lump discomfort after menopause, once hormonal imbalances level off somewhat. A study published in the October 2001 journal Fertility and Sterility showed that drinking caffeine significantly increased women's estrogen levels early in their menstrual cycles.
Research published in the American Journal of Public Health suggests that caffeine may indeed spark hormonal fluctuations, which is significant if changing hormone levels trigger breast pain and inflammation. Separate groups of female students at Oregon University and in China exhibited increases in premenstrual symptoms after drinking caffeine-laden beverages. Another study published in the October 2001 journal Fertility and Sterility showed that drinking caffeine significantly increased women's estrogen levels early in their menstrual cycles.
Some research has tentatively linked the use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, a category of drugs used to treat depression, to breast enlargement and other abnormalities, including cancer. More study is needed to verify this theory.
Prevention and Treatment
Drugs used to control hormone levels, such as Danazol, Tamoxifen and Bromocriptine have helped to quell discomfort, but all have uncomfortable side effects and can interfere with the effectiveness of birth control pills. Estrogen-progesterone therapy has also been effective, but this also has side effects and in some women its use may increase their risk of developing cancer.
Reducing caffeine consumption, avoiding tobacco use and following a low-fat diet all help reduce or eliminate fibrocystic breast lumps. Taking vitamins A, E and B and evening primrose may prove helpful as well.
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