How do you distinguish what is a "safe" versus "not safe" lump in your breast?
103553
That really needs to be determined by a Dr.  You can go to your medical Dr. or a gynecologist.  It should definitely be checked out.
214294
Most times, a mammogram is totally inappropriate for a 20 year old.  A 20 year old has very dense breasts, so they look white on film.  Most signs of breast cancer, such as a mass or calcifications, appear white on film.  You can't see through the white breast to see the white pathology.  Usually, doctors will let you cycle through your menstrual cycle.  Many breasts, especially young breasts, will get lumpy and bumpy as you get closer to your period.  After you have completed a cycle,and the lump remains,  the doctor may then order an ultrasound.  If you have a lump you can feel, ultrasound is an excellent way to evaluate the breast.  Remember, that only 3% of breast cancers occur in women younger than FORTY!  I have not been able to get statistics for rates of breast cancer in women younger than 40, but I am sure it is even much lower.\nAs for getting your mammogram without a doctors order:  In the US, after the age of 35, you can get a mammogram without a doctor's order, yearly.  I do believe this is a federal law, and I have never seen an insurance company deny payment for it, so they may be required, by law, to accept it.  But, it is the ONLY radiologic imaging that you can get done without a prescription.  It is kind of like the pharmacy....you can't go get yourself some Vicodin.  This is because, as lay people, we do not always know the risks and benefits of certain procedures/drugs.\n\nIt occured to me to add this, as you might not have considered it.  Mammograms use ionizing radiation.  Whenever we use radiation, we have to look at the risks vs. the benefits.  When a woman is older, the benefit of finding a breast cancer far outweighs the risk of the mammogram.  In a younger woman (who coincidently needs MORE radiation to penetrate their dense breasts), the risk of the radiation far outweighs the benefits.  If we are virtually certain that an exam requiring radiation will not help diagnose the problem, then we should not be exposing that person to the potential danger.
553114
It can indicate a few different things, but you need to talk with a doctor.  The answer depends on the context and you probably need other diagnostic tests performed and interpreted by a medical professional to really figure out what is going on.  One common finding is calcium deposits in mammograms, which can be markers for abnormal cell growth ranging from harmless benign tumors to cancerous growth that requires immediate treatment.  But don't guess or sit here on Answers worrying... go find out from the experts.
1153765
So why did 1st MD think Breast cancer. Lump in breast? If so what test were done to confirm non-malignant
983534
Dear Lady, lumps in the breast cause fear. But as others here have told you see your Dr. soon. I spent this past yr. battling the disease. I am free now & feel great. Something I was told, I will tell anyone who will listen. Fear kills far more women then breast cancer does. Most women survive this cancer, even through if you listen to the media it seems the other way wins. Not true. Finding this little monster early & getting treatment is the way to survive. Chances are good you have cyst. Be my prayer for you. Still if it should turn out the other way I want you to have the best chances available. I was very scared. Now I feel great. Please go.
382326
No, it is not dangerous.  Actually asymmetry of the breasts is quite common.  However, if there are lumps, discharge from the nipples, or a dramatic change of appearance in a short period of time, it should probably be checked out.  It wouldn't harm to have them checked even without the above symptoms.
874860
Yes I would be concerned, and yes a biopsy would allay any fears.  Is your doc a family doc or specialist?\n\nThe scan says it was normal, great, but you still have the lump.  Not normal.  Get the second opinion, it can't hurt.
163866
Breast Cancer is very rare before the age of 25, and age is the most significant risk factor. Many times young women find lumps in their breast, but this does not often indicate cancer. For your own peace of mind, please talk to your parents, and see your physician. Ask your physician as many questions as you like about self examination, I'm sure he/she will be happy to answer them. Try not to be scared. \n\nHere is an article with good info: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/4982-1.asp\n\nAlthough this forum is fun, and interesting, you can get alot of variation in answers from well meaning people. Sometimes these answers cause more anxiety than is necessary, and some are just flat out wrong.
1050151
I have to say that you should go to another doctor.  I was going through the same thing.  I had a lump in my breast.  I had to go to 2 other doctors before the last doctor told me to have it removed.  I just had surgery june 2 to have it removed.  The other doctors told me it was just fatty tissue.  Once it was removed the doctor noticed it was bigger than it appeared.  They took out 80.4 grams of my breast.  They said I had a tumor and it was getting bigger.  If I would have let it stayed in there, they would have eventually have the entire breast removed because the type of tumor I had would just grow and grow.  So take care of yourself.  Doctors will tell you not to worry but if you demand them to do something about your health then you wont have to worry so much.  The type of test they do before going to surgery is mammagram, ultrasound, ct, and mri.  Some doctors do other test.  Some might want to do a biopsy.
1055564
Looking at the current statistics, 1 out of 2,212 by age 30 have breast cancer.  Each woman's breast cancer risk may be higher or lower, depending upon a several factors, including family history, genetics, age of menstruation, and other factors that have not yet been identified. While breast cancer is less common at a young age (i.e., in their thirties), younger women tend to have more aggressive breast cancers than older women, which may explain why survival rates are lower among younger women. By age 40, 1 out of 235 will develop breast cancer.  \nBy age 50 1 out of 54  Your lumps could be hormonal related, which is something you need to see a doctor about to get tested.
555536
Believe it or not, the safest way to go at the moment is surgury. If you just leave them, they could become malignant, where as, if you have surgury, the risk is far less. The same thing happened to my mother, and she had surgury and turned out fine. There was a history of breast cancer in her family, as both her mother and grandmother had it. I assure you, surgery is the best way to go. (My mother is looking over my shoulder, and she agrees. Actually, you're about her age, too.)
332877
It is possible, but extremely rare. However, there are normal growth-related changes that can create lumps in the breasts (such as fibrocysts and fibroadenomas) that are not cancerous. Only a health professional can tell for sure, so it's still a good idea to have any lumps checked out. And all females should perform monthly breast self-examinations. If you start young, you can learn what is normal for your breasts and you'll know if something does happen later in life.\n\nA good web site you might want to visit is\nhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/question/general/breast_exams.html.\n\nHope this helps.
605657
When the doctor does a biopsy and the test comes back saying you have it.\n\nYou can have a lump, but there's no way of knowing what kind of lump you have until a doctor checks it out.
160922
First off, THIS IS NOT one of the times that you should jump off of your computer and run to the ER. \n\nA bit of information. Lumps that come and go with your period may be what is known as Fibrocystic Change (not cancer). Your breasts respond to hormone changes during your period. Breast lumps should usually be examined about a week or so AFTER the start of your period. \n\nMake an appointment with your primary care physician, and don't get anxious.\n\nHere is a website with good reliable information:\nhttp://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/4982-4.asp
588604
At 50, the same as everyone else (in the UK anyway). You just need to check your breasts regularly and if you have any concerns about lumps or changes in skin texture etc, see your doctor.\n\nMammograms are not effective in detecting breast cancers in young women, as young women have a lot of fibrous tissue in their breasts, which makes it difficult to differentiate between normal breast tissue and breast lumps. Later in life, the breasts become less fibrous and mammograms are more effective. Ultrasound can be used to visualise suspicious breast lumps in younger women, and this would be ordered by your doctor if you did find a lump.\n\nIt also depends how strong the family history is of breast cancer. There are some genetic links, but that doesn't explain every case of breast cancer. If, for example, your maternal grandmother, your mother, and some of your mothers sisters all had breast cancer, then yes, you are more likely to carry a gene for it. But if just one or two people have had it, and if they've been over 50 and aren't first degree relatives, it's less likely.\n\nI don't think you'll need extra screening for breast cancer, but you should be very careful in breast self-examination regularly.
668320
Just because someone has lumps in their breasts does not mean they are cancerous.  Many women will develop benign growths in their breasts.  I would check with a doctor though to be safe.  Be assured breast cancer in Juveniles is rare.
747192
First and foremost it does not mean you have cancer. Second of all you should definitely talk to your parents about your concerns and ask to go to the doctor. He/she will probably examine them and send you for a diagnostic mammogram. I had the same problem as you last year and things were fine. The lumps turned out to be cysts which I have since discovered runs in my family. My mother and my sister both have them. One of the things my doctor told me was to notice the size of them before and after my period because one of the characteristics of cysts was that they tend to be bigger right before you start and that after wards they will gradually decrease in size. Let me stress though that I am not a nurse or a doctor and this is just what I was told. You may also want to check with a school nurse and talk to her.\n\nI hope things turn out well for you. I know how scared I was before I got my results and how relieved I was when they came back ok.