The difference between breast cancer and lobular hyperplasia

Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
Updated on September 25, 2024
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The difference between breast cancer and lobular hyperplasia is as follows: Lobular hyperplasia primarily manifests as nodular lumps that can be felt within one or both breasts. These lumps vary in size, are tough but not hard, and sometimes tender to touch. The boundaries of the lumps with the surrounding breast tissue are not clear, but they are not adherent to the skin or chest muscles, sometimes presenting as areas of thickening with unclear boundaries. Breast cancer, on the other hand, appears as a solitary, painless lump that is hard as stone and can be round, oval-shaped, or irregular. It can grow large, has poor mobility, and can easily adhere to the skin and surrounding tissues. The growth of the cancerous lump is not related to the menstrual cycle or emotional changes, and it can grow rapidly in a short time. On a mammogram, breast cancer lumps may show tiny calcifications, abnormal vascular shadows, and spicules.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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What should I do about lobular hyperplasia of the breast?

For cases with mild symptoms or less severe conditions, treatment is generally not necessary; regular follow-ups with breast ultrasound or mammography are sufficient. For those with pronounced symptoms, medication and symptomatic treatments can be given, as detailed below: Chinese herbal medicine can be used, treating breast hyperplasia through methods that soothe the liver, regulate qi, and harmonize the Chong. Endocrine treatments are also an option, though preferably avoided, but can be administered before menstruation for those who experience significant pain during the premenopausal period. Vitamin therapy, including vitamins B, C, and E, can improve liver function and regulate basal metabolism, as well as enhance the function of the autonomic nervous system, serving as supplementary medicine for this condition. Recently, vitamin E is also considered to have pain-relieving effects. For individuals with a family history of breast cancer, lesions confined to a part of the breast, or those who still have significant lumps after menstruation, it is recommended to conduct a puncture biopsy and consider surgical treatment if necessary.

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What does breast lobule feel like to the touch?

Fibrocystic breast changes may occur in one or both breasts, where palpable, nodular lumps of varying sizes can be felt. These lumps are firm but not hard, and sometimes painful. The boundary between the lumps and surrounding breast tissue is unclear, yet they are not adherent to the skin or chest muscles, sometimes appearing as unclearly bordered thickened areas. Lesions are more commonly located in the upper outer quadrant of the breast but can affect the entire breast. The lumps may enlarge during premenstrual or postmenstrual phases, but they typically reduce in size postmenstrually. Diagnosis can be confirmed through breast ultrasound and mammography. Breast ultrasound typically indicates proliferative breast tissue, showing areas of uneven, low echogenicity and, in cases of cysts, anechoic areas.

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Breast Surgery
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Is lobular hyperplasia grade II severe?

Second-degree mammary lobular hyperplasia refers to simple mammary hyperplasia, which is not severe and has relatively mild symptoms or conditions. Most cases do not require treatment, but regular follow-up is necessary. For cases with more pronounced symptoms, we can use traditional Chinese medicine, which alleviates pain through methods such as soothing the liver and regulating qi, as well as harmonizing the thoroughfare and conception vessels. Vitamins can also be used to support treatment, with Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E improving liver function, regulating metabolic hormones, and enhancing autonomic nerve functions, serving as auxiliary medication for this condition. Vitamin E also helps relieve pain. Regular follow-up examinations with ultrasound and mammography are recommended. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Breast Surgery
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Symptoms of lobular hyperplasia cancerization

The symptoms of lobular hyperplasia transforming into cancer primarily include feeling a painless, solitary small lump in the breast. The lump is hard, with a rough surface, and its boundary with surrounding tissue is not clearly defined. It is not easily movable within the breast. As the lump progresses, it can invade the Cooper's ligaments, causing them to contract, and thus the skin over the lump often appears dimpled, known as the dimpling sign, which is an early sign of breast cancer. As breast cancer continues to develop, it can cause the breast to shrink, become harder, elevate the nipple, and may lead to the ducts being pulled, flattened, retracted, or even invaginated. The affected breast may also significantly enlarge over several months, causing an increase in volume and prominence.

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Can medication completely cure mammary gland hyperplasia?

Breast hyperplasia can be treated with medication, but due to the disorder of hormone levels in the body, incomplete recovery may lead to the possibility of recurrence of breast hyperplasia. Most cases of breast hyperplasia are believed to be related to endocrine disorders, causing elevated estrogen levels, and hormonal levels in the body change periodically. When the proportion of hormones in the body is unbalanced, estrogen increases, and progesterone secretion decreases, breast hyperplasia is incompletely restored, causing breast tissue proliferation. On the other hand, it may also be related to the differences in the quality and quantity of estrogen receptors in the breast parenchyma components, resulting in uneven growth in different parts of the breast.