Breast Cyst vs Fibroadenoma vs Cancer: Differences

Breast cyst vs fibroadenoma vs breast cancer: at a glance

How breast cysts, fibroadenomas and breast cancer compare, using NHS and NHS hospital information.
Feature	Breast cyst	Fibroadenoma	Breast cancer
What it is NHS: Breast lumps	A build-up of fluid in the breast	A non-cancerous growth of breast tissue	A serious cause of some breast lumps; easier to treat if found early
Is it cancer? Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Breast lumps	No: common, harmless and does not increase breast cancer risk	No: common, harmless and does not increase breast cancer risk	Yes, but most breast lumps (90%) are not cancer
How it may feel Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems	A liquid-filled lump that can appear suddenly; sometimes uncomfortable	A lump that moves about easily; usually painless	Usually noticed as a painless lump, which can feel like a cyst
Can you tell which it is by feel? Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems	No: a cancer may feel similar, so a mammogram or ultrasound confirms it	No: confirmed by examination, ultrasound and often a needle biopsy	No: any lump should be checked by a doctor
Tests at a breast clinic NHS: Breast lumps	Examination and a scan, usually ultrasound or mammogram	Examination, a scan and sometimes a needle biopsy	Examination, a scan and a needle biopsy to test the cells
Results NHS: Breast lumps	Usually given on the same day	Same day, or about a week if a biopsy is taken	Biopsy results take longer, often about a week
If you find a new lump Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Breast lumps	See a GP or doctor, even if you have had cysts before	See a GP or doctor, even if you think it is a fibroadenoma	See a GP or doctor about any lump or other breast change

Each row links to the NHS, NICE or WHO page it comes from. On a small screen, scroll the table sideways.

Key takeaways

Most breast lumps are harmless. Common harmless causes are a fibroadenoma or a breast cyst. (NHS: Breast lumps)
Cysts and fibroadenomas are not cancer and do not increase the risk of breast cancer. (Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Breast lumps)
A breast cancer lump is usually painless and can feel like a cyst, which is why any new lump needs checking. (Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems)
The NHS says not to self-diagnose a lump: always see a GP. Tests at a breast clinic usually show that a lump is not cancer. (NHS: Breast lumps)

What is a breast cyst?

A breast cyst is a collection of fluid in the breast. NHS hospital breast units describe cysts as common and harmless, and say they do not increase the risk of breast cancer. Cysts are most often found between about 30 and 50, often around the time of the menopause, and they can come back in some women.

Once a cyst has been diagnosed, it may not need any treatment. The fluid can be drawn off with a fine needle, often guided by ultrasound, for example to ease discomfort or to confirm the diagnosis. The cyst then shrinks or disappears, although cysts can refill.

Sources: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Breast lumps; Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems; Wye Valley NHS Trust: Breast surgery – your first outpatient appointment leaflet

What is a fibroadenoma?

A fibroadenoma is a solid, non-cancerous lump made of fibrous and glandular tissue. It often feels smooth and moves easily in the breast, and it is usually painless. Fibroadenomas can happen at any age but are most common in younger women, often between about 20 and 40.

Fibroadenomas do not increase the risk of breast cancer. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, most need no treatment and get smaller or stay the same size. Occasionally one is removed, for example if it grows, has unusual features or is causing worry.

Sources: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems; Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Breast lumps

How is breast cancer different?

Most breast lumps have a harmless cause, but sometimes a lump is a sign of breast cancer. Symptoms of breast cancer can include a lump or swelling in the breast, chest or armpit, a change in the skin such as dimpling, a change in size or shape, nipple discharge, or a change in the look of the nipple.

A breast cancer lump is usually painless and can feel like a cyst, which is why any lump should be checked by a doctor. If a lump is a sign of breast cancer, finding it early can make it easier to treat.

Sources: NHS: Breast lumps; NHS: Symptoms of breast cancer in women; Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems

What happens when a lump is checked?

A GP or doctor will look at and examine the breasts. If they are not sure what is causing a lump, they refer the person to a hospital or breast clinic, where tests usually show that a lump is not cancer. Tests may include:

a breast examination
a scan, usually a breast X-ray (mammogram) or an ultrasound
a biopsy, where a needle is used to remove some cells from the lump for testing

These tests are often done in the same visit. Most results are given on the same day, but biopsy results take longer, often about a week.

Source: NHS: Breast lumps

Frequently asked questions

Can a breast cyst turn into cancer?

An NHS hospital breast unit says cysts have nothing to do with cancer and do not turn into cancer. However, a cancer can feel similar to a cyst, because it is also usually noticed as a painless lump. This is why any lump should be checked by a doctor so a full examination can be done.

Source: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems

Does a fibroadenoma increase the risk of breast cancer?

No. An NHS hospital breast unit describes fibroadenomas as common, harmless lumps that do not increase the risk of breast cancer. Once diagnosed there is usually no need for treatment, and most get smaller or stay the same. Any new lump should still be checked by a GP, as a definite diagnosis needs a breast clinic.

Source: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Breast lumps

Are breast cancer lumps painful?

Not always. The NHS says breast cancer symptoms can come with pain in the breast or armpit, but they can also happen without any pain. Breast pain on its own is not usually a symptom of breast cancer. Anyone with a lump, swelling or a change that is not normal for them should see a GP.

Source: NHS: Symptoms of breast cancer in women

Do breast cysts go away on their own?

Often. An NHS hospital breast unit says cysts often settle without treatment, and that a doctor sometimes uses a needle to draw off the fluid, after which the cyst should disappear. About 1 in 5 cysts come back, and any new or returning lump should be checked by a doctor.

Source: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: Benign breast problems

Should I see a GP if I have had cysts before?

Yes. An NHS hospital breast unit asks people who notice a breast lump and think it is a cyst to report it to their GP, even if they have had cysts in the past, because the only way to be certain it is only a cyst is to be seen in a breast clinic.

Source: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Breast lumps

How likely is a breast lump to be cancer?

The WHO says most breast lumps are not cancer. It also says anyone with an abnormal breast lump should get medical care, even if the lump does not hurt, because breast cancers are more likely to be treated successfully when they are small and have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

Source: World Health Organization: Breast cancer fact sheet

Sources and references

This page is general information, not medical advice. A GP or doctor can advise on your own situation. Source links do not imply endorsement by the NHS or another organisation. See our editorial policy.

Breast cyst vs fibroadenoma vs breast cancer