Simple breast cyst: What you need to know

Posted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi Mai - Doctor of Radiology - Department of Diagnostic Imaging - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital

Breast cysts are fluid-filled sacs inside the breast that are not usually cancerous (benign). Mammary gland cysts are caused by blockage of the terminal mastoids with dilation of the ducts. Cysts can be unilateral, although they tend to be bilateral and multifocal.

Breast cysts are fluid-filled sacs inside the breast, however these are all benign and are not usually cancerous. Mammary gland cysts are caused by blockage of the terminal mastoids with dilation of the ducts. Cysts can be unilateral, although often bilateral and multifocal.
Mammary gland cysts can be classified by size:
Microcysts: when size <3 mm Large cysts: when size > 3 mm Microcysts are usually found as fibromuscular changes.

Breast cysts are common in women before menopause, between the ages of 35 and 50. But they can occur in women of any age. They can also occur in postmenopausal women taking hormone therapy.
Accordingly, breast cysts can be found in one or both breasts. Signs and symptoms of a breast cyst include:
A smooth, movable round or oval lump with clear edges (although this is not always benign) Nipple discharge clear, yellow, straw yellow or dark brown breast pain or tenderness in the breast lump Increase in breast lump size and breast tenderness just before menstruation Reduce breast lump size and resolve other symptoms later Menstrual periods In fact, having a breast cyst does not increase the risk of breast cancer. However, having a cyst can make it harder to detect new lumps in the breast or other changes during a physical exam. You should also familiarize yourself with the normal sensations of your breasts so you know when something has changed.

Ultrasound of mammary gland cysts usually have the following characteristics:
Oval or round shape Unechoic (no internal echo). Clear limits. Rear sound reinforcement Smooth wall Peripheral calcification. When mammography shows a cyst appearing as a mass in the breast with well-defined oval or circular posterior features, multiple round masses in both breasts may be suggestive.

Simple cysts are benign (BI-RADS 2). When the typical features of a simple breast are seen, the patient does not need other imaging.
With large symptomatic cysts can be aspirated. Simple cyst aspiration reveals straw-yellow fluid; in such a situation, cytological analysis is usually not required, unless it contains bloody material.
Ultrasonography after aspiration confirms the cyst is completely gone without any tumor and will confirm the hemostasis. Complications from aspiration are almost nonexistent, but bleeding and infection are theoretically possible. Cyst aspiration can be performed safely without stopping aspirin therapy. They do not increase in size in postmenopausal women.
Some people with breast cysts do not experience bothersome symptoms, so invasive treatment is often not necessary. A combination of supportive measures, such as warm compresses, pain relievers, and wearing a supportive bra, can help people feel more comfortable.
In case the tumor is large, causing pain, discomfort and aesthetic impact, the patient can go to Vinmec International General Hospital for treatment of benign breast tumor removal by device-assisted biopsy technique. Vacuum under ultrasound guidance (VABB). With this method, instead of having to open surgery to remove the tumor as before, the doctor only needs to insert the needle of the VABB machine to cut the tumor and suck the tumor out. Patients will experience less pain and no scarring. Especially, it does not cause breast deformation, does not require hospitalization. The patient does not need to undergo many incisions to remove the tumor, but only one needle is needed to treat the tumors, even treat many tumors at the same time.