Most women with fibrocystic changes and no symptoms do not need treatment, but closer follow-up may be advised.

There is no widely accepted treatment or prevention strategy for fibrocystic condition. When treatment of symptoms is necessary it follows the same strategies as treatment for cyclical breast pain.

It is controversial whether benign breast conditions improve or worsen with oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy.

A few small-scale studies have indicated that the fibrocystic condition may be improved by dietary changes (especially by a reduced intake of caffeine and related methylxanthines or by a reduced intake of salt) and by vitamin supplements.

Small, preliminary studies have shown beneficial effects of iodine supplementation (such as reducing the presence of breast cysts, fibrous tissue plaques and breast pain) in women with fibrocystic breast changes, with elemental iodine (I) being more effective than iodide (I). It is noted that iodine supplementation, via an iodine-based modulation of estrogen influence in the breast, also appears to inhibit early cancer progression in small studies done on breast cancer cells in a lab.. Since treatment success in a lab is often not replicated in humans, more human research is necessary to determine if iodine supplementation prevents breast cancer

A U.S. National Institutes of Health fact sheet of 2011 reported on a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial performed on 111 women affected by fibrosis and having a history of breast pain. In this trial, daily doses of iodine led to decreased in breast pain, tenderness and nodularity. It was emphasized that further research to clarify iodine's role in fibrocystic breast disease is needed and that large doses of iodine should only be used under the guidance of a physician.

There are usually no adverse side effects to this condition. In almost all cases it subsides after menopause. A possible complication arises through the fact that cancerous tumors may be more difficult to detect in women with fibrocystic changes.

Medical treatment of gynecomastia is most effective when done within the first two years after the start of male breast enlargement. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) such as tamoxifen, raloxifene, and clomifene may be beneficial in the treatment of gynecomastia but are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in gynecomastia. Clomifene seems to be less effective than tamoxifen or raloxifene. Tamoxifen may be used for painful gynecomastia in adults. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) such as anastrozole have been used off-label for cases of gynecomastia occurring during puberty but are less effective than SERMs. A few cases of gynecomastia caused by the rare disorders aromatase excess syndrome and Peutz–Jeghers syndrome have responded to treatment with AIs such as anastrozole. Androgens/anabolic steroids may be effective for gynecomastia. Testosterone itself may not be suitable to treat gynecomastia as it can be aromatized into estradiol, but non-aromatizable androgens like topical androstanolone (dihydrotestosterone) can be useful.

Paget's disease of the breast is a type of cancer of the breast. Treatment usually involves a lumpectomy or mastectomy to surgically remove the tumour. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be necessary, but the specific treatment often depends on the characteristics of the underlying breast cancer.

Invasive cancer or extensive ductal carcinoma "in situ" is primarily treated with modified radical mastectomies. The procedure consists in the removal of the breast, the lining over the chest muscles and a part of the lymph nodes from under the arm. In cases of noninvasive cancers, simple mastectomies are performed in which only the breast with the lining over the chest muscles is removed.

Patients suffering from cancer that has not spread beyond the nipple and the surrounding area are often treated with breast-conserving surgery or lumpectomy. They usually undergo radiation therapy after the actual procedure to prevent recurrence. A breast-conserving surgery consists in the removal of the nipple, areola and the part of the breast that is affected by cancer.

In most cases, adjuvant treatment is part of the treatment schema. This type of treatment is normally given to patients with cancer to prevent a potential recurrence of the disease. Whether adjuvant therapy is needed depends upon the type of cancer and whether the cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes. In Paget's disease, the most common type of adjuvant therapy is radiation following breast-conservative surgery.

Adjuvant therapy may also consist of anticancer drugs or hormone therapies. Hormonal therapy reduces the production of hormones within the body, or prevents the hormones from stimulating the cancer cells to grow, and it is commonly used in cases of invasive cancer by means of drugs such as tamoxifen and anastrozole.

Chemotherapeutic options include:

- Cyclophosphamide plus methotrexate plus fluorouracil (CMF).

- Cyclophosphamide plus doxorubicin plus fluorouracil (CAF).

- Trastuzumab (monoclonal antibody therapy).

Hormonal options include:

- Orchiectomy.

- Gonadotropin hormone releasing hormone agonist (GNRH agonist) with or without total androgen blockage (anti-androgen).

- Tamoxifen for estrogen receptor–positive patients.

- Progesterone.

- Aromatase inhibitors.

Mild cases of gynecomastia in adolescence may be treated with advice on lifestyle habits such as proper diet and exercise with reassurance. In more severe cases, medical treatment may be tried including surgical intervention.

Danazol, an estrogen biosynthesis inhibitor, tamoxifen, an antagonistic modulator of the estrogen receptor, and bromocriptine, a prolactin-lowering D receptor agonist, are the main drugs used in the treatment of mastodynia and are effective.

Other medications and supplements have been found to be of benefit. Spironolactone (Aldactone), low dose oral contraceptives, low-dose estrogen have helped to relieve pain. Topical anti-inflammatory medications can be used for localized pain. For anti hormonal treatment, danazol (Danocrine) can be helpful. Tamoxifen citrate is used in some cases of severe breast pain. Vitamin E is not effective in relieving pain nor is Evening primrose oil. Vitamin B and Vitamin A have not been consistently found to be beneficial. Flaxseed has shown some activity in the treatment of cyclic mastalgia.

Pain may be relieved by the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or, for more severe localized pain, by local anaesthetic. Pain may be relieved psychologically by reassurance that it does not signal a serious underlying problem, and an active life style can also effect an improvement.

Information regarding how the pain is real but not necessarily caused by disease can help to understand the problem. Learning breast self-examination helps to orient the woman to normal and expected texture and structure of the breast and nipple. Yearly breast exams may be suggested. Counseling can also be to describe changes that vary during the monthly cycle. Women on hormone replacement therapy may benefit from a dose adjustment. Another non-pharmacological measure to help relieve symptoms of pain may be to use good bra support. Breasts change during adolescence and menopause and refitting may be beneficial. Applying heat and/or ice can bring relief. Dietary changes may also help with the pain. Methylxanthines can be eliminated from the diet to see if a sensitivity is present. Some clinicians recommending a reduction in salt, though no evidence supports this practice.

Medical treatment has not proven consistently effective. Medical regimens have included tamoxifen, progesterone, bromocriptine, the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist leuprolide, and testosterone. Gestational macromastia has been treated with breast reduction drugs alone without surgery. Surgical therapy includes reduction mammaplasty and mastectomy. However, breast reduction is not clinically indicated unless at least 1.8 kg (4 lb) of tissue per breast needs to be removed. In the majority of cases of macromastia, surgery is medically unnecessary, depending on body height. Topical treatment includes regimens of ice to cool the breasts.

Treatment of hyperprolactinemia-associated macromastia with D receptor agonists such as bromocriptine and cabergoline has been found to be effective in some, but not all cases. Danazol, an antiestrogen and weak androgen, has also been found to be effective in the treatment of macromastia.

When hypertrophy occurs in adolescence, noninvasive treatments, including pharmaceutical treatment, hormone therapy, and steroid use are not usually recommended due to known and unknown side effects. Once a girl's breast growth rate has stabilized, breast reduction may be an appropriate choice. In some instances after aggressive or surgical treatment, the breast may continue to grow or re-grow, a complete mastectomy may be recommended as a last resort.

Pregnancy is recognized as the second most common reason for hypertrophy. When secondary to pregnancy, it may resolve itself without treatment after the pregnancy ends.

Treatment largely follows patterns that have been set for the management of postmenopausal breast cancer. The initial treatment is surgical and consists of a modified radical mastectomy with axillary dissection or lumpectomy and radiation therapy with similar treatment results as in females. Also, mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy is a treatment option. In males with node-negative tumors, adjuvant therapy is applied under the same considerations as in females with node-negative breast cancer. Similarly, with node-positive tumors, males increase survival using the same adjuvants as affected females, namely both chemotherapy plus tamoxifen and other hormonal therapy. There are no controlled studies in males comparing adjuvant options. In the vast majority of males with breast cancer hormone receptor studies are positive, and those situations are typically treated with hormonal therapy.

Locally recurrent disease is treated with surgical excision or radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy. Distant metastases are treated with hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of both. Bones can be affected either by metastasis or weakened from hormonal therapy; bisphosphonates and calcitonin may be used to counterbalance this process and strengthen bones.

Treatment protocol is not well established. Some sources report that approximately half of the patients will fully recover after lengthy (mean time 14.5 months, range 2–24 months) expectant management.

Treatment with steroids is lengthy and usually requires about 6 months. While some source report very good success with steroids most report a considerable risk of recurrence after a treatment with steroids alone. Steroids are known to cause elevation of prolactin levels and increase risk of several conditions such as diabetes, and other endocrinopathies which in turn increase the risk of IGM. Treatment with topical steroids to limit side effects was also reported in one case. For surgical treatment recurrence rates of 5-50% have been reported.

A 1997 literature review article recommended complete resection or corticosteroid therapy, stating also that long-term follow-up was indicated due to a high rate of recurrence.

Treatment with a combination of glucocorticoids and prolactin lowering medications such as bromocriptine or cabergoline was used with good success in Germany. Prolactin lowering medication has also been reported to reduce the risk of recurrence. In cases of drug-induced hyperprolactinemia (such as antipsychotics) prolactin-sparing medication can be tried.

Methotrexate alone or in combination with steroids has been used with good success. Its principal mechanism of action is immunomodulating activity, with a side effect profile that is more favorable for treating IGM.

Colchicine, azathioprine and NSAIDs have also been used.

The procedure to remedy micromastia is breast enlargement, most commonly augmentation mammoplasty using breast implants. Other techniques available involve using muscle flap-based reconstructive surgery techniques (latissimus dorsi and rectus abdominus muscles), microsurgical reconstruction, or fat grafting.

Another potential treatment is hormonal breast enhancement, such as with estrogens.

Surgery has traditionally played a limited role in the treatment of IBC because it is considered essentially a systemic cancer. However, the role of surgical intervention is being reevaluated and is now considered to be an important part of the overall treatment process. The standard treatment for newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer is to receive systemic therapy prior to surgery. Achieving no disease in the surgical samples gives the best prognosis. Surgery is modified radical mastectomy. Lumpectomy, segmentectomy, or skin sparing mastectomy is not recommended. Immediate reconstruction is not recommended. Upfront surgery is contraindicated. After surgery, all cases are recommended for radiation therapy unless it is contraindicated.

Because the aggressive nature of the disease, it is highly recommended to be seen by IBC specialist by a multidisciplinary team.

Further, it is critical to seek novel targeted therapy in a clinical trial setting. Three modalities, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are under-utilized in the USA. Estrogen and Progesterone receptor positive cases have not shown to have a better prognosis. Pathological complete response to preoperative chemotherapy imparts a more favorable prognosis than a pathologically incomplete response. Loss of heterozygosity and extensive breast inflammation upon first clinical examination have a significantly worse prognosis. Premenopausal cases have significantly worse prognosis. In postmenopausal cases lean women have significantly better prognosis than obese women. Among patients with distant metastasis at diagnosis (stage IV disease), The overall survival (OS) is worse in patients with IBC than in those with non-IBC.

Treatment is problematic unless an underlying endocrine disorder can be successfully diagnosed and treated.

A study by Goepel and Panhke provided indications that the inflammation should be controlled by bromocriptine even in absence of hyperprolactinemia.

Antibiotic treatment is given in case of acute inflammation. However, this alone is rarely effective, and the treatment of a subareaolar abscess is primarily surgical. In case of an acute abscess, incision and drainage are performed, followed by antibiotics treatment. However, in contrast to peripheral breast abscess which often resolves after antibiotics and incision and drainage, subareaolar breast abscess has a tendency to recur, often accompanied by the formation of fistulas leading from inflammation area to the skin surface. In many cases, in particular in patients with recurrent subareolar abscess, the excision of the affected lactiferous ducts is indicated, together with the excision of any chronic abscess or fistula. This can be performed using radial or circumareolar incision.

There is no universal agreement on what should be the standard way of treating the condition. In a recent review article, antibiotics treatment, ultrasound evaluation and, if fluid is present, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of the abscess with an 18 gauge needle, under saline lavage until clear, has been suggested as initial line of treatment for breast abscess in puerperal and non-puerperal cases including central (subareolar) abscess (see breast abscess for details). Elsewhere, it has been stated that treatment of subareolar abscess is unlikely to work if it does not address the ducts as such.

Duct resection has been traditionally used to treat the condition; the original Hadfield procedure has been improved many times but long term success rate remains poor even for radical surgery. Petersen even suggests that damage caused by previous surgery is a frequent cause of subareolar abscesses. Goepel and Pahnke and other authors recommend performing surgeries only with concomitant bromocriptine treatment.

Breast cysts do not require treatment unless a cyst is large and painful or otherwise uncomfortable. In that case, draining the fluid from a breast cyst can ease symptoms.

Typical treatment involves a Needle aspiration biopsy. Aspirated cysts often recur (come back); definitive treatment may require surgery.

Draining the fluid and then waiting for the cyst to resolve is the main treatment applied in these cases. Moreover, if cysts are aspirated and the fluid looks normal, they do not require any other medical attention apart from following-up to make sure they have completely disappeared. Hormone therapy, by the means of oral contraceptives, is sometimes prescribed to reduce their recurrence and to regulate the menstrual cycle of the patient (which is likely to cause them in the first place). Danazol may also be prescribed to treat this condition and it is usually considered in patients on whom the non-medical treatment fails and the symptoms are intense.

Surgical removal of a breast cyst is necessary only in a few unusual circumstances. If an uncomfortable breast cyst recurs month after month, or if a breast cyst contains blood-tinged fluid and displays other worrisome signs, surgery may be considered.

Initially, an evaluation of malignancy is always indicated. If no abnormality is found, then a surgical duct excision may resolve the symptoms. Treatment also depends on whether single-duct or multiple-duct discharge is present, and whether the symptoms of nipple discharge are distressing to the patient. In some cases, there may be no need for any further intervention; in others, microdochectomy or a total duct excision may be appropriate. If the patient wishes to conserve the ability to breastfeed and only single-duct discharge is present, then ductoscopy or galactography should be considered in view of performing a localised duct excision. Once the cause of the nipple discharge is found, it will be treated by the health provider who will evaluate:

- Whether changing any medicine that has caused the discharge is appropriate

- Whether any lumps should be removed

- Whether some or all of the breast ducts should be removed

- If a prescription for cream to treat skin changes around the nipple will be helpful

- If medicines to treat a health condition are required

If all the tests are normal, treatment may not be necessary. A follow up mamogram mammogram and physical exam may be prescribed within 1 year.

In breast cancer survivors, it is recommended to first consider non-hormonal options for menopausal effects, such as bisphosphonates or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) for osteoporosis, and vaginal estrogen for local symptoms. Observational studies of systemic hormone replacement therapy after breast cancer are generally reassuring. If hormone replacement is necessary after breast cancer, estrogen-only therapy or estrogen therapy with an intrauterine device with progestogen may be safer options than combined systemic therapy.

Most fibroadenomas are simply monitored. Some are treated by surgical excision. They are removed with a small margin of normal breast tissue if the preoperative clinical investigations are suggestive of the necessity of this procedure. A small amount of normal tissue must be removed in case the lesion turns out to be a phyllodes tumour on microscopic examination.

Because needle biopsy is often a reliable diagnostic investigation, some doctors may decide not to operate to remove the lesion, and instead opt for clinical follow-up to observe the lesion over time using clinical examination and mammography to determine the rate of growth, if any, of the lesion. A growth rate of less than sixteen percent per month in women under fifty years of age, and a growth rate of less than thirteen percent per month in women over fifty years of age have been published as safe growth rates for continued non-operative treatment and clinical observation.

Some fibroadenomas respond to treatment with ormeloxifene.

Fibroadenomas have not been shown to recur following complete excision or transform into phyllodes tumours following partial or incomplete excision.

In breast cancer survivors, non-hormonal birth control methods should be used as first-line options. Progestogen-based methods such as depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, IUD with progestogen or progestogen only pills have a poorly investigated but possible increased risk of cancer recurrence, but may be used if positive effects outweigh this possible risk.

Warm baths may be tried in those with mild disease. Weight loss and stopping smoking is also recommended.

Treatment depends upon presentation and severity of the disease. Due to the poorly studied nature of the disease, the effectiveness of the drugs and therapies listed below is unclear. Possible treatments include the following:

There are different opinions on the best treatment of DCIS. Surgical removal, with or without additional radiation therapy or tamoxifen, is the recommended treatment for DCIS by the National Cancer Institute. Surgery may be either a breast-conserving lumpectomy or a mastectomy (complete or partial removal of the affected breast). If a lumpectomy is used it is often combined with radiation therapy. Tamoxifen may be used as hormonal therapy if the cells show estrogen receptor positivity. Chemotherapy is not needed for DCIS since the disease is noninvasive.

While surgery reduces the risk of subsequent cancer, many people never develop cancer even without treatment and there associated side effects. There is no evidence comparing surgery with watchful waiting and some feel watchful waiting may be a reasonable option in certain cases.

With only a small number of case reports, treatment can be difficult and focuses primarily on axillary disease and specific symptoms. First line treatment includes topical and intalesional glucocorticoids. Specific therapies include estrogen hormones and steroid creams. Use of tretinoin reduced pruritic and axillary papules in one study. However, irritation limited drug use to short term only. Clindamycin mixed with pimecrolimus cream and benzoyl peroxide was also effective. Clindamycin is used to inhibit bacterial growth and is used when treating staphylococcal and streptococcal infections.

Some patients with metastatic breast cancer opt to try alternative therapies such as vitamin therapy, homeopathic treatments, a macrobiotic diet, chiropractic or acupuncture. There is no evidence that any of these therapies are effective; they may be harmful, either because patients pass up effective conventional therapies such as chemotherapy or anti-estrogen therapy in favor of alternative treatments, or because the treatments themselves are harmful (as in the case of apricot-pit therapy—which exposes the patient to cyanide—or in chiropractic, which can be dangerous to patients with cancer metastatic to the spinal bones or spinal cord. A macrobiotic diet is neither effective nor safe as it could hypothetically induce weight loss due to severe dietary restriction. There is limited evidence that acupuncture might relive pain in cancer patients, but data so far is insufficient to recommend its use outside of clinical trials.

There is free peer support and an online platform to interact with others going through various therapies, including Abraxane.

The Mayo Clinic suggests the following: antibiotics (generally the lowest side effect profile compared to other treatments); corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone); but corticosteroids have many side effects, including "moon face" for the duration of the medication's trial usage, as well as unwanted hair growth for females and/or osteoporosis with long-term use. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors like infliximab (Remicade) and adalimumab (Humira) have shown promise for some, but they should probably be considered a third-line treatment, as treatment is associated with increased risk of infection, heart failure and certain cancers. Surgery is also available for those overwhelmed by the condition, but it will not cure the condition, just relieve the skin-related issues for a while. The disease is pernicious and is almost always guaranteed to return, if not in the same spot where the surgery was performed.

Some products for adult acne may help relieve some symptoms for hidradenitis sufferers, although there is no guarantee it will work in all or even most individuals. Birth control Medication may relieve some symptoms for women; there is a hormonal treatment for men as well but that has not proven to be safe or effective as of yet.

Alternative treatments include alpha hydroxy acids (naturally available in small amounts in citrus fruits), Azelaic acid, and zinc. It is not thought that they are as effective as standard medical treatment but they tend to have less side effects. Some suggest tea tree oil and a specific strain of brewer's yeast, called CBS 5926. However, the former can cause contact dermatitis for some as well as breast development in teenage boys and should not be used if one suffers from rosacea as well due to it making the symptoms of that strand of acne worse; the latter (CBS 5962) can cause migraines and intestinal issues for some. None of these have been formally tested by the FDA so beware the risk you take when you forgo traditional Western medicine for herbal supplements.

Treatment of metastatic breast cancer is currently an active area of research. Several medications are in development or in phase I/II trials. Typically new medications and treatments are first tested in metastatic cancer before trials in primary cancer are attempted.

Another area of research is finding combination treatments which provide higher efficacy with reduced toxicity and side effects.

Experimental medications:

- sorafenib a combined Tyrosine protein kinases inhibitor.