DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A mammogram showed a lump in my breast, and my doctor said it's benign breast disease. I'm glad it's not cancer, but I'm still worried. What does this mean? Does it increase my risk of getting breast cancer in the future?
ANSWER: Changes to your breasts can cause a lot of worry. This is understandable. As you discovered, though, not all breast changes are a result of breast cancer.
Any breast symptoms, such as a breast lump, nipple discharge or breast pain, should be evaluated by a medical professional. If the symptoms are diagnosed as benign, it means they are not cancer. Noncancerous breast symptoms are known as benign breast disease.
