Fibrocystic Breast vs. Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Breast lumps can be caused by fibrocystic breast tissue or cancer

Kelly Burch is a freelance journalist who has covered health topics for more than 10 years. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and more.

Mary Choy, PharmD, is board-certified in geriatric pharmacotherapy and is an active leader in professional pharmacy associations.

Noticing lumps in your breasts can be alarming. But in most cases, breast lumps are not breast cancer, but a sign of fibrocystic breast changes. These are normal changes to breast tissue that affect up to 90% of women throughout their lifetimes. In contrast, about 12% of American women will develop breast cancer. Some fibrocystic breast changes increase your risk for cancer, but other types do not.

This article will explain the difference between fibrocystic breast changes and breast cancer. It will cover the symptoms, causes, and treatments for each and help you understand when to get medical treatment.

Maskot / Getty Images

Both breast cancer and fibrocystic breast changes can cause lumps in the breast. Fibrocystic breast changes are most common in women who are 30–50 years old, whereas breast cancer is more common in people 50 or older.

One way to tell whether a lump is a normal fibrocystic breast change or cancer is to determine whether it's painful. In this context, pain is a good sign. Fibrocystic breast changes can cause pain, since they grow quickly, but in 99% of cases cancerous lumps do not cause pain.

Here's how the symptoms of fibrocystic breast changes and breast cancer compare.

Fibrocystic breast changes:

Breast cancer lumps:

Fibrocystic breast changes are normal in many women. Cancer, on the other hand, is a disease that must be treated. Although both are impacted by hormonal changes, there are stark differences in the causes of these conditions.

Hormonal changes cause breast tissue to change throughout your lifetime. Hormonal fluctuations can lead to fibrocystic breast changes such as cysts. This is why many people notice more changes and cysts before their period.

As with other cancers, breast cancer is caused by mutations that affect genes. These changes cause the cancer cells to grow uncontrollably.

There are a number of risk factors that increase your odds of developing breast cancer. Many can't be controlled. For example, breast cancer becomes more common with age and is more common in people with certain genetic mutations. Other risk factors—like drinking alcohol and not being physically active—are within your control. Hormones, especially taking hormone replacement drugs for more than five years, can increase the risk of breast cancer.

Both breast cancer and fibrocystic breast changes can be detected at home. This is why it's important to know the normal feel of your breast tissue. Some women have many lumps naturally or they notice more lumps as they approach their period.

If you find a lump that concerns you, see a healthcare provider. They can help you determine whether a lump may be cancerous. In some cases, healthcare providers can tell just from a physical exam that fibrocystic breast changes are the reasons for the lump.

If your healthcare provider isn't able to tell what caused your breast lump immediately, they may order a breast ultrasound. This test will help them determine what the lump is made of, and whether it is a normal fibrocystic breast change or cancer. The ultrasound can determine if:

A biopsy is a procedure that removes a sample of cells for analysis in a lab. In the case of a breast lump, the biopsy is looking for any cancerous cells. If cancer cells are present, your healthcare provider will likely order more tests to diagnose breast cancer.

Fibrocystic breast changes often don't require treatment at all. Breast cancer, on the other hand, requires intensive treatments.

You only need treatment for fibrocystic breast changes if you’re experiencing pain in discomfort. In that case, your healthcare provider may recommend treatments that include:

Some lifestyle changes can also help, including:

If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you’ll work with your healthcare provider and care team to determine the best breast cancer treatment for your specific circumstances. The treatments for breast cancer include:

Neither fibrocystic breast changes or breast cancer can be prevented entirely. However, there are lifestyle changes that may reduce your risk of each.

Most women will experience fibrocystic breast changes at some point. Some women report that wearing a supportive bra and avoiding stimulants like caffeine can reduce the amount of fibrocystic breast changes they notice.

Although there's no way to prevent breast cancer entirely, there are ways to reduce your risk. These include:

Finding a lump in your breast can be scary, but most lumps are not breast cancer. Normal changes that can cause lumps or cysts in the breasts. However, if you’re concerned about a lump, it's always best to see a healthcare provider to rule out breast cancer.

It is not uncommon to experience lumps caused by fibrocystic breast changes. Often these aren't cause for concern. However, contact your healthcare provider as soon as you notice a lump that feels harder than a typical cyst and notice other changes in your breasts. Your provider will be able to rule out cancer and determine the cause.

If you find a lump that you’re concerned about, reach out to your healthcare provider. However, remember that most lumps are not cancer and many women have fibrocystic breast changes that can produce harmless lumps in their breasts.

About 90% of women will experience fibrocystic breast changes, which can lead to lumps in the breast. In most cases, these lumps or cysts do not increase cancer risk.

Many notice that fibrocystic breast changes vary throughout their menstrual cycle. It's common to notice more cysts before your period and earlier on in your cycle.

Susan G. Komen. If you find a lump.

Chen YY, Fang WH, Wang CC, Kao TW, Chang YW, Yang HF, Wu CJ, Sun YS, Chen WL. Examining the associations among fibrocystic breast change, total lean mass, and percent body fat. Sci Rep. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-27546-3.

National Cancer Institute. Breast cancer risk in American women. December 2020.

American Cancer Society. Fibrocystic changes in the breast.

DeMarco, Cynthia. Breast cysts and breast cancer: How can you tell the difference? MD Anderson Cancer Center.

CDC. What are the risk factors for breast cancer?

American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

American Cancer Society. Treating breast cancer.

By Kelly BurchKelly Burch is has written about health topics for more than a decade. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and more.