Breast disease can be divided into two main categories; benign, non cancerous or malignant meaning cancer of the breast.

One of the challenges for physicians is determining what breast problems stem from cancer and therefore require aggressive treatment and what problems are not cancers and can be treated appropriately as such. This process often requires evaluation by a physician’s clinical exam in conjunction with mammography, ultrasound and MRI. Most often a biopsy, a small sample of tissue, is removed to confirm a diagnosis. Some non cancerous conditions are easily diagnosed and treated without a biopsy, but if there is ever a question a biopsy is mandatory.

Evaluation of Breast Lesions

Twenty percent of all breast cancers are not visible on mammography. Therefore, if there is one thing that you learn from this chapter on breast health, realize that a true mass in the breast needs to be biopsied or sampled even when mammograms, ultrasounds and MRI’s do not show lesions. A mass in the breast can present as a ridge, a thickening or even a change in the skin of the breast. Because the breast tissue changes with the menstrual cycle, it is very important to know the architecture of your breast tissue. If you notice a change in your breast you should have it evaluated by your family doctor or gynecologist, who will refer you to a surgeon if necessary.