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Is a Breast Lump Cancer?

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Mammary Gland Department
A25-011
BS CKII.
Nguyễn Triệu Vũ
Khoa Tuyến vú
View detail
The answer is no. Approximately 70–80% of breast lesions are benign. There are various types of breast abnormalities, such as fibrocystic changes (fibrocystic breast disease), fibroadenoma, papilloma, and phyllodes tumor. Depending on the physician’s assessment, appropriate management may range from regular follow-up to tumor testing (biopsy) or complete surgical excision of the tumor.

The answer is no. Approximately 70–80% of breast lesions are benign. There are various types of breast abnormalities, such as fibrocystic changes (fibrocystic breast disease), fibroadenoma, papilloma, and phyllodes tumor. Depending on the physician’s assessment, appropriate management may range from regular follow-up to tumor testing (biopsy) or complete surgical excision of the tumor.

1. Do All Breast Lumps Require a Biopsy?

  • Only suspicious breast lumps require biopsy. The assessment includes a physical examination and other tests such as ultrasound, mammography, etc. In some cases, monitoring the lump is easier and more accurate when the lump remains intact. Therefore, biopsy should only be performed when necessary and should not be overused.

2. How Many Methods Are There for Biopsying a Tumor?

A biopsy involves taking part or all of a tumor for examination to determine whether it is benign or malignant and to classify the tumor. Currently, there are several main methods:

  • Using a fine needle to puncture the tumor and aspirate cells.
  • Using a larger needle to obtain several tissue cores from the tumor, which may be combined with vacuum assistance (vacuum-assisted breast biopsy).
  • Surgically removing part or all of the tumor.
  • More recently, liquid biopsy can detect tumor-derived components such as proteins and DNA in blood, urine, etc.

Depending on the patient, tumor location, and tumor characteristics, the physician will determine the most appropriate method.

3. Does One Biopsy Always Provide a Definitive Result?

Definitely not. Biopsy is the gold standard for determining the nature of a tumor; however, in some cases, multiple biopsies may be required, combined with different biopsy methods.

  • The tumor is complex or rare and requires additional specialized tests.
  • The patient has multiple conditions at the same time, such as tuberculosis and cancer.
  • The patient has more than one type of cancer, such as breast cancer and lung cancer occurring simultaneously.
  • The biopsy does not sample the correct tumor.
  • The biopsy samples a necrotic or abscessed portion of the tumor.

The average turnaround time for results is 5–7 working days. However, for difficult or complex cases requiring additional specialized tests, the turnaround time may be extended to 2–4 weeks.

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