Breast Cyst
Your Personalized Treatment Plan
Do not limit your treatment options only to the nearest hospital.
We offer the most effective, quick and affordable treatment for breast cysts,
thanks to the world’s largest hospital network.
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A breast cyst is a noncancerous (benign), fluid-filled sac in your breast. It occurs when fluid fills an empty milk duct. Some cysts are too small to feel, while others grow up to several inches — large enough for you to feel and even make you uncomfortable. Clusters of cysts can form in one breast or both.
You’re more likely to get breast cysts if you’re:
- Between 35 and 50 years old.
- Premenopausal (still have a menstrual cycle).
- Postmenopausal (no longer have a menstrual cycle) but take hormone therapy (HRT).
Complete Recovery
No Hidden Fees
No Waiting Lists
Leading Surgeons
Private treatment in our hospital network allows you skip waiting lists while at the same time reducing the costs treatment considerably, up to 50% cheaper, in countries that are just a short flight from home. The countries listed below make excellent choices with modern hospitals and well-trained English speaking surgeons.
Our medical consultants will advise you on the best choice for your breast cysts in one of our leading hospitals. We will evaluate your current condition, expectations and other related factors, and offer you the most suitable option, respecting your health and the individual needs of your body and lifestyle. Your health is unique and so should be your solution.
- Berlin
- Zurich
- Vienna
- Paris
- Madrid
- Milan
- Warsaw
- Istanbul
Treatment of Breast Cysts
No treatment is necessary for simple breast cysts — those that are fluid filled and don’t cause any symptoms — that are confirmed on breast ultrasound or after a fine-needle aspiration. Many cysts will disappear with no treatment. If a cyst persists, feels firmer or you notice skin changes on the skin over the cyst, you should see a doctor for further evaluation.
Fine-needle aspiration
Fine-needle aspiration may be used to diagnose and treat a breast cyst if all the fluid can be removed from the cyst during the procedure, and then your breast lump disappears and your symptoms resolve.
For some breast cysts, however, you may need to have fluid drained more than once. Recurrent or new cysts are common. If a breast cyst persists through two to three menstrual cycles and grows larger, you should see a doctor for further evaluation.
Hormone use
Using birth control pills (oral contraceptives) to regulate your menstrual cycles may help reduce the recurrence of breast cysts. But because of possible significant side effects, birth control pills or other hormone therapy, such as tamoxifen, is usually recommended only for women with severe symptoms. Discontinuing hormone therapy after menopause may also help prevent breast cysts.
Surgery
Surgery to remove a breast cyst is necessary only in unusual circumstances. Surgery may be considered if an uncomfortable breast cyst recurs month after month or if a breast cyst contains blood-tinged fluid or shows other worrisome signs.
In case of breast cancer, surgery to remove may be necessary:
- Lumpectomy is often preferred for smaller breast lumps. This is because it is a smaller procedure and it has about the same chance of curing breast cancer as a mastectomy. It is a good option as you get to keep most of your breast tissue that has not been affected by cancer.
- Mastectomy to remove all breast tissue may be done if the area of cancer is too large or there are multiple tumors which cannot be removed without deforming the breast.
Complications of Breast Cysts
Complications
Types
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Complications
If you have a high risk of breast cancer, you may require frequent monitoring or additional testing. There aren’t any other life-threatening complications of breast cysts. They can sometimes become infected, or can become large, tense and painful and require aspiration.
Types
There are three types of breast cysts:
- Simple breast cyst: Filled entirely with fluid, simple cysts are always noncancerous. There’s no solid area in the cyst and the cyst wall is smooth. They make up about 90% of all breast cysts.
- Complex breast cyst: This type of cyst, which has a mix of fluid and solid components, may be breast cancer in up to 20% of cases. Your provider typically biopsies the tissue, which means they remove part of your breast tissue and send it to a lab for analysis.
- Complicated breast cyst: A complicated cyst is fluid-filled, but may have some cloudiness to the fluid, or the borders may be somewhat irregular. Sometimes, these are aspirated with a needle biopsy and then the tissue is sent for analysis. Other times, a provider may recommend a follow-up appointment in six months because there’s just a small chance (less than 2%) of it being cancerous.
Breast cysts can also be microcysts or macrocysts. Most breast tissue contains microcysts, which are very tiny and may be seen by ultrasound or even just under a microscope. Macrocysts are larger and can often be felt.
Causes
The exact cause of breast cysts is still unknown. Experts believe natural hormonal fluctuations may cause them to form. Breast cysts don’t usually develop after menopause when estrogen levels taper off. It’s also thought to be a part of the normal life cycle of a breast — when the milk-producing glandular tissue shrinks (involution) and fluid becomes trapped.
Symptoms
Breast cysts may be found in one or both breasts. Signs and symptoms of a breast cyst include:
- A smooth, easily movable round or oval lump that may have smooth edges — which typically, though not always, indicates it’s benign
- Nipple discharge that may be clear, yellow, straw colored or dark brown
- Breast pain or tenderness in the area of the breast lump
- An increase in breast lump size and breast tenderness just before your period
- A decrease in breast lump size and resolution of other symptoms after your period
Diagnosis
Needed tests may include:
- Mammography. Large cysts and clusters of small cysts can usually be seen with mammography. But microcysts can be difficult or impossible to see on a mammogram.
- Breast ultrasound. This test can help your doctor determine whether a breast lump is fluid filled or solid. A fluid-filled area usually indicates a breast cyst. A solid-appearing mass most likely is a noncancerous lump, such as a fibroadenoma, but solid lumps also could be breast cancer.
Your doctor may recommend a biopsy to further evaluate a mass that appears solid. If your doctor can easily feel a breast lump, he or she may skip imaging tests and perform fine-needle aspiration to drain the fluid and collapse the cyst.
During a fine-needle aspiration, your doctor inserts a thin needle into the breast lump and attempts to withdraw (aspirate) fluid. Often, fine-needle aspiration is done using ultrasound to guide accurate placement of the needle. If fluid comes out and the breast lump goes away, your doctor can make a breast cyst diagnosis immediately.
- If the fluid is not bloody and has a straw-colored appearance and the breast lump disappears, you need no further testing or treatment.
- If the fluid appears bloody or the breast lump doesn’t disappear, your doctor may send a sample of the fluid for lab testing and refer you to a breast surgeon or to a radiologist — a doctor trained to perform imaging exams and procedures — for follow-up.
- If no fluid is withdrawn, your doctor will likely recommend an imaging test, such as a diagnostic mammogram or ultrasound. The lack of fluid or a breast lump that doesn’t disappear after aspiration suggests that the breast lump — or at least a portion of it — is solid. A sample of the tissue may be collected to check for cancer.
