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Common Breast Disorders
Cysts
Cysts are very common benign breast lumps, consisting of a sac,
filled with liquid or semi-liquid. The cause of these lumps are
unknown, however, it is thought that most cysts of the breast are
found in connection with the disease mastitis. They can vary in size
from very small to approximately 5 cm in diameter, and are usually
painless. Breast cysts are most common in the decade before the
menopause, and there is no connection between these and breast
cancer.
Treatment
This is done by fine needle aspiration (FNA), whereby fluid is drawn
from the cyst using a syringe. Once the cyst has been drained, the
lump will have disappeared. It is a fairly simple procedure, with no
after-effects, and is usually performed on an out-patient basis.
Your doctor may send this fluid away for analysis, but the
prevailing medical opinion is that this is usually unnecessary. In
the event of the aspiration proving difficult, where little or no
liquid is able to be extracted, thus suggesting a solid lump,
further testing will be necessary.
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