Breast Cysts

Cysts are one of the findings that can be seen on your mammogram. Cysts are benign fluid-filled masses that can appear in your breast tissue. They can appear alone or in groups, and are very commonly detected by mammography. Cysts are not usually associated with breast cancer.

A breast cyst can be felt when you are doing a breast self-exam. It will feel smooth and squishy, and will have some “give” to it, like a water balloon. A cyst might be painful, if it’s large and is pressing on some tender area. Women who are perimenopausal are most likely to find cysts. The fluid in a cyst can be drained with a fine-needle aspiration.

A mammogram will show dense areas of tissue. If a cyst or a solid area (fibroadenomas or a tumor) appears on a mammogram, a radiologist sees those as dense masses.

If your radiologist finds a dense mass on your mammogram, and thinks it may be a cyst, the next step is to perform an ultrasound on it. An ultrasound sends sound waves through breast tissue, which will pass through a fluid-filled cyst. Solid masses will reflect sound waves, and will make a different image on the ultrasound than will a cyst.

During your regular menstrual cycle, your breast produces and absorbs fluid in response to hormonal changes. Excess estrogen may stimulate the breast to make more fluid than is adsorbed and subsequently this fluid may collect in small sacs or cysts. Many of us have small cysts without realizing it, or without being bothered by any pain or bumpiness. A cyst usually doesn’t require any treatment, but can be drained if it is uncomfortable.

Cysts are most common in women who are 35 to 50 years old and are perimenopausal. If you’re taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) you may also experience breast cysts. Breast oil cysts may occur after breast surgery, breast reconstruction, an injury to your breast, or they may grow spontaneously.

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