Mastopathy - Specialists and information on lumps in the mammary gland

Leading Medicine Guide Editors
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Leading Medicine Guide Editors

Mastopathy is a benign disease of the breast that usually affects women between the ages of 30 and 50. It is characterized by swelling, cysts, lumps and other painful symptoms in the breast. Below you will find information on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this breast disease as well as specialists for the treatment of mastopathy.

ICD codes for this diseases: N63

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Article overview

Definition: What is mastopathy?

Mastopathy is a benign disease of the breast that usually affects women between the ages of 30 and 55. It is characterized by the fact that the typical symptoms occur depending on the menstrual cycle . Doctors also refer to this as mastodynia. The symptoms intensify about a week before the onset of menstruation. Once menstruation is over, the symptoms subside. Most women of childbearing age are affected by mastopathy. In most cases, however, the disease does not cause any significant symptoms.

What are the common symptoms of mastopathy?

Various changes to the breast are typical of mastopathy. These can be

  • Swelling,
  • cysts and
  • other painful complaints

painful symptoms. If you palpate your breast yourself, you will also feel lumps about the size of a cherry stone that can be moved. More rarely, there is a discharge of fluid from the nipples. In most cases, these symptoms affect both breasts.

Brust abtasten

Sean Nel #3889830 | AdobeStock

Depending on the extent and severity of the disease, doctors divide mastopathy into three degrees:

  • Grade 1 mastopathy: partial cyst formation, but no risk of malignant development
  • 2nd degree mastopathy: benign cell growths, slightly increased risk of cancer
  • Grade 3 mastopathy: pathological cell changes and increased risk of cancer

In 70 percent of cases, it is a 1st degree mastopathy. Only10 percent of those affected fall into the third category. As there is an increased risk of breast cancer here, a doctor should regularly check the changes in grade 3 mastopathy. Mastopathy must be clearly distinguished from fibroadenoma. The latter are real tumors, while mastopathy is benign.

Causes & risk factors: How does mastopathy develop? What factors promote the disease?

In mastopathy, the hormonal balance is disturbed. There is a lack of progesterone with a simultaneous excess of oestrogen. This increased oestrogen level is the reason why affected women experience painful swelling in the breasts around a week before the onset of menstruation. The breasts are also sensitive to touch.

Other risk factors that favor the development of mastopathy are

  • advanced age at the time of the first pregnancy
  • late onset of the menopause
  • childlessness
  • Hormone replacement therapy with oestrogens
  • being overweight

In principle, mastopathy is not dangerous and can now be treated quite well. Women with mastopathy only develop breast cancer in around 0.1 to 0.3 percent of cases. Mastopathy therefore does not increase the risk of breast cancer. Only women suffering from grade 3 mastopathy have a four- to five-fold increased risk of breast cancer.

Examination & diagnosis of mastopathy

Based on a palpation examination and the patient's description, the gynecologist can diagnose mastopathy quite clearly. To rule out other diseases, further examinations such as a mammogram may be necessary . Cysts, on the other hand, are detected by the gynecologist using an ultrasound examination. To rule out breast cancer, a tissue sample may be taken.

General information on treatment: What therapies are available and which doctors specialize in mastopathy?

Mastopathy itself cannot be treated. The aim of the therapy is to alleviate the pain. To this end, the gynecologist prescribes creams containing progestogens to rub in or artificial progestogens in the form of tablets to take. Various herbal preparations designed to stimulate the production of progestogen have also proven effective in practice. Monk's pepper is one such natural remedy.

Patients suffering from mastopathy can do a lot themselves to get the symptoms under control. Sage and hibiscus tea, for example, have proven to be effective home remedies. Both have a draining and anti-inflammatory effect. Consuming them can therefore reduce swelling. Continue to avoid too much salt and caffeine. Just like sugar and fats, they can promote mastopathy. However, you cannot directly prevent mastopathy.

Removal of painful lumps and cysts is only necessary in very few cases. Doctors recommend surgery for the following indications:

  • the breast has become deformed due to the lumps
  • more and more lumps are forming
  • affected women are afraid of breast cancer
  • if the symptoms do not improve even after the menopause
  • before pregnancy

The operation is usually performed using a subcutaneous mastectomy. The surgeon carefully removes the affected breast tissue.

Course and prognosis of mastopathy

In principle, treatment of mastopathy is not absolutely necessary. However, it may be necessary in order to alleviate the painful changes in the breast. The good news: after the menopause, the unpleasant symptoms of mastopathy disappear completely in most women. The reason: after the menopause, sex hormones are no longer produced and menstruation stops.

References

https://www.frauenaerzte-im-netz.de/erkrankungen/brusterkrankungen-gutartig/mastopathie-schwellungen-knoten-zysten/
https://www.mooci.org/gynaekologie/mastopathie/
https://www.sprechzimmer.ch/Krankheitsbilder/Mastopathie_Veraenderungen_der_weiblichen_Brust_gutartig.html

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