What is a breast lump?
A breast lump is palpable nodule or mass in the breast, most commonly among females. The woman herself, on self-examination, or someone else examining her, could feel the lump on bump in her breast. Sometimes, the lump or lumps are discovered accidentally. Not all lumps in the breast are cancerous, but once a lump is found, tests must be done to rule out the possibility of cancer, especially among those age 40 and older. What causes breast cancer? No one single cause or factor has been decisively implicated as the etiology of breast cancer. However, the following are some factors or conditions that have been associated with increased risk of developing cancer of the breast: smoking, radiation exposure before the age of 30, early menarche (first menstrual period), late first pregnancy, late menopause, obesity in menopausal women, high fat diet and alcohol. Prolonged (more than four years) use of oral contraceptive before the first pregnancy, and estrogen replacement therapy longer than
