Fibroadenomas, are benign breast tumours characterized by an admixture of stromal and epithelial tissue. Breasts are made of lobules (milk producing glands) and ducts (tubes that carry the milk to the nipple). These are surrounded by glandular, fibrous and fatty tissues. Fibroadenomas develop from the lobules. The glandular tissue and ducts grow over the lobule to form a solid lump.

Since both fibroadenomas, and breast lumps as a sign of breast cancer can appear similar, it is recommended to perform ultrasound analyses and possibly tissue sampling with subsequent histopathologic analysis in order to make a proper diagnosis. Unlike typical lumps from breast cancer, fibroadenomas are easy to move, with clearly defined edges.

Fibroadenomas are sometimes called breast mice or a breast mouse owing to their high mobility in the breast.

The typical case is the presence of a painless, firm, solitary, mobile, slowly growing lump in the breast of a woman of child-bearing years.

In the male breast, fibroepithelial tumors are very rare, and are mostly phyllodes tumors. Exceptionally rare case reports exist of fibroadenomas in the male breast, however these cases may be associated with antiandrogen treatment.

In breast pathology, pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia, commonly abbreviated PASH, is an overgrowth of myofibroblastic cells and has an appearance similar to fibroadenomatoid changes.

The diagnostic significance is currently uncertain, but it appears to be benign. There have been cases of PASH diagnosed where the tumors co-exist with breast cancer. Other cases have made screening for breast cancer difficult and in some cases impossible due to the number and density of the existing PASH tumors. These cases have resulted in the necessity of a mastectomy and double mastectomy.

Atypical ductal hyperplasia, abbreviated ADH, is the term used for a benign lesion of the breast that indicates an increased risk of breast cancer.

The name of the entity is descriptive of the lesion; ADH is characterized by cellular proliferation (hyperplasia) within one or two breast ducts and (histomorphologic) architectural abnormalities, i.e. the cells are arranged in an abnormal or atypical way.

In the context of a core (needle) biopsy, ADH is considered an indication for a breast lumpectomy, also known as a surgical (excisional) biopsy, to exclude the presence of breast cancer.

Most of the women who develop DCIS do not experience any symptoms. The majority of cases (80-85%) are detected through screening mammography. The first signs and symptoms may appear if the cancer advances. Because of the lack of early symptoms, DCIS is most often detected at screening mammography.

In a few cases, DCIS may cause:

- A lump or thickening in or near the breast or under the arm

- A change in the size or shape of the breast

- Nipple discharge or nipple tenderness; the nipple may also be inverted, or pulled back into the breast

- Ridges or pitting of the breast; the skin may look like the skin of an orange

- A change in the way the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels such as warmth, swelling, redness or scaliness.

The diagnosis of PASH is by biopsy.

The important differential diagnosis is angiosarcoma, from which it was first differentiated in 1986.

Fibrosclerosis of the breast is most frequently used to mean sclerosing lobular adenosis of the breast. It is not well known if it is related to non-sclerosing adenosis of the breast (which is normally classified as fibrocystic breast changes) and unlike this it is believed to be correlated with an elevated risk of breast cancer.

ADH, generally, is asymptomatic. It usually comes to medical attention on a screening mammogram, as a non-specific suspicious abnormality that requires a biopsy.

The changes in fibrocystic breast disease are characterised by the appearance of fibrous tissue and a lumpy, cobblestone texture in the breasts. These lumps are smooth with defined edges, and are usually free-moving in regard to adjacent structures. The bumps can sometimes be obscured by irregularities in the breast that are associated with the condition. The lumps are most often found in the upper, outer sections of the breast (nearest to the armpit), but can be found throughout the breast. Women with fibrocystic changes may experience a persistent or intermittent breast aching or breast tenderness related to periodic swelling. Breasts and nipples may be tender or itchy.

Symptoms follow a periodic trend tied closely to the menstrual cycle. Symptoms tend to peak in the days and, in severe cases, weeks before each period and decrease afterwards. At peak, breasts may feel full, heavy, swollen, and tender to the touch. No complications related to breastfeeding have been found.

Radial scars are diagnosed by a microscopic examination of excised tissue, i.e. they are diagnosed by pathologists based on their histomorphology.

In many cases, ductal carcinoma is asymptomatic, and detected as abnormal results on mammography. When symptoms occur, a painless, enlarging mass that does not fluctuate with the menstrual period may be felt. Pinching of the overlying skin may also be seen. Certain subtypes, such as inflammatory carcinomas, may result in a swollen, enlarged and tender breast. All variants of cancer, if there is metastatic spread, may cause enlarged lymph nodes and affect other organs.

These terms are related since they represent the steps of the progression toward cancer:

- Dysplasia is the earliest form of precancerous lesion recognizable in a biopsy. Dysplasia can be low-grade or high-grade. High-grade dysplasia may also be referred to as carcinoma "in situ".

- Invasive carcinoma, usually simply called cancer, has the potential to invade and spread to surrounding tissues and structures, and may eventually be lethal.

An adenomyoepithelioma of the breast, also adenomyoepithelioma, is a rare tumour in the breast composed of glandular elements (adeno-) and myoepithelial cells. It is usually benign; however, there are reports of malignant behaviour.

The histomorphologic appearance can mimic invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common type of invasive breast cancer.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), also known as intraductal carcinoma, is a pre-cancerous or non-invasive cancerous lesion of the breast. DCIS is classified as Stage 0. It rarely produces symptoms or a breast lump one can feel, and is usually detected through screening mammography.

In DCIS, abnormal cells are found in the lining of one or more milk ducts in the breast. "In situ" means "in place" and refers to the fact that the abnormal cells have not moved out of the mammary duct and into any of the surrounding tissues in the breast ("pre-cancerous" refers to the fact that it has not yet become an invasive cancer). In some cases, DCIS may become invasive and spread to other tissues, but there is no way of determining which lesions will remain stable without treatment, and which will go on to become invasive. DCIS encompasses a wide spectrum of diseases ranging from low-grade lesions that are not life-threatening to high-grade (i.e. potentially highly aggressive) lesions.

DCIS has been classified according to the architectural pattern of the cells (solid, cribriform, papillary, and micropapillary), tumor grade (high, intermediate, and low grade), and the presence or absence of comedo histology. DCIS can be detected on mammograms by examining tiny specks of calcium known as microcalcifications. Since suspicious groups of microcalcifications can appear even in the absence of DCIS, a biopsy may be necessary for diagnosis.

About 20–30% of those who do not receive treatment develop breast cancer. It is the most common type of pre-cancer in women. There is some disagreement as to whether, for statistical purposes, it should be counted as a cancer: some include DCIS when calculating breast cancer statistics while others do not.

Carcinoma "in situ (CIS), also known as in situ" neoplasm, is a group of abnormal cells. While they are a form of neoplasm there is disagreement over whether CIS should be classified as cancer. This controversy also depends on the exact CIS in question (i.e. cervical, skin, breast). Some authors do not classify them as cancer, however, recognizing that they can potentially become cancer. Others classify certain types as a non-invasive form of cancer. The term "pre-cancer" has also been used.

These abnormal cells grow in their normal place, thus ""in situ"" (from Latin for "in its place"). For example, carcinoma "in situ" of the skin, also called Bowen's disease, is the accumulation of dysplastic epidermal cells within the epidermis only, that has failed to penetrate into the deeper dermis. For this reason, CIS will usually not form a tumor. Rather, the lesion is flat (in the skin, cervix, etc.) or follows the existing architecture of the organ (in the breast, lung, etc.). Exceptions include CIS of the colon (polyps), the bladder (preinvasive papillary cancer), or the breast (ductal carcinoma "in situ" or lobular carcinoma "in situ").

Many forms of CIS have a high probability of progression into cancer, and therefore removal may be recommended; however, progression of CIS is known to be highly variable and not all CIS becomes invasive cancer.

In the TNM classification, carcinoma "in situ" is reported as TisN0M0 (stage 0).

Lobular carcinoma "in situ" (LCIS) is a condition caused by unusual cells in the lobules of the breast.

Many do not consider it cancer, but it can indicate an increased risk of future cancer. The national database registrars, however, consider it a malignancy.

Unlike ductal carcinoma "in situ" (DCIS), LCIS is not associated with calcification, and is typically an incidental finding in a biopsy performed for another reason. LCIS only accounts for about 15% of the "in situ" (ductal or lobular) breast cancers.

In breast pathology, a radial scar of the breast, formally radial scar of the breast, is a benign breast lesion that can radiologically mimic malignancy, i.e. cancer.

Radial scar is associated with atypia and/or malignancy and may be an independent risk factor for the development of carcinoma in either breast.

Aggressive fibromatosis is a rare condition marked by the presence of desmoid tumors. Desmoid tumors can arise in virtually any part of the body, and are tumors that arise from cells called fibroblasts, which are found throughout the body and provide structural support, protection to the vital organs, and play a critical role in wound healing. These tumors tend to occur in women in their thirties, but can occur in anyone at any age. They can be either relatively slow-growing or malignant. However, aggressive fibromatosis is locally aggressive. When they are aggressive they can cause life-threatening problems or even death when they compress vital organs such as intestines, kidney, lungs, blood vessels, nerves etc. Most cases are sporadic, but some are associated with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Approximately 10% of individuals with Gardner's syndrome, a type of FAP with extracolonic features, have desmoid tumors.

Histologically they resemble very low-grade fibrosarcomas, but they are very locally aggressive and tend to recur even after complete resection. There is a tendency for recurrence in the setting of prior surgery; in one study, two-thirds of patients with desmoid tumors had a history of prior abdominal surgery.

Risk factors for desmoid disease amongst FAP patients include female sex, a 3' APC mutation, a positive family history and a history of previous abdominal surgery.

Symptoms are very variable and may not be present at all in "occult inflammatory breast cancer". Quick onset of symptoms is typical, the breast often looks swollen and red, or “inflamed”, sometimes overnight, and are easy to misdiagnose as mastitis. Invasion of the local lymphatic ducts impairs drainage and causes edematous swelling of the breast. Because the skin of the breast is tethered by the suspensory ligament of Cooper, the accumulation of fluid may cause the skin of the breast to assume a dimpled appearance similar to an orange peel (peau d'orange). A palpable tumor is frequently not obvious as in other forms of breast cancer.

Symptoms may include:

- Sudden swelling of the breast

- Skin changes on breast

- Reddened area with texture resembling the peel of an orange (peau d’orange)

- Nipple retraction (flattened look) or discharge

- Pain in the breast

- Itching of breast

- Swelling of lymph nodes under the arm or in the neck

- Unusual warmth of the affected breast

- Breast is harder or firmer

Other symptoms may rarely include:

- Swelling of the arm

- Breast size may decrease instead of increasing

- Although a dominant mass is present in many cases, most inflammatory cancers present as diffuse infiltration of the breast without a well-defined tumor.

- A lump may become present and grow rapidly

Most patients do not experience all the symptoms of IBC. Not all symptoms need to be present in order to be diagnosed.

Signs and symptoms of breast cysts include:

- A smooth, easily movable round or oval breast lump with distinct edges

- Breast pain or tenderness in the area of the lump

- Increased lump size and tenderness just before menstruation

- Decreased lump size and resolution of other signs and symptoms after menstruation

- Having one or many simple breast cysts does not increase a person's risk of breast cancer.

Lumps in the breast are often not found during self-examinations or physical exams. However, in some cases they can be felt at touch, especially if they are larger.

Breasts are usually lumpy or nodular as a result of the hormonal changes that women go through during their menstrual cycle. However, new breast lumps should always be referred to a specialist.

Fluid leaking from a cyst, as may happen due to puncture or vigorous compression during mammography, or due to seatbelt injury in the course of an automobile accident, may trigger an aseptic inflammation in the surrounding breast tissue.

These tumors are painless masses that manifest as breast lumps and may be found on a mammogram.

A breast cyst is a fluid-filled sac within the breast. One breast can have one or more breast cysts. They are often described as round or oval lumps with distinct edges. In texture, a breast cyst usually feels like a soft grape or a water-filled balloon, but sometimes a breast cyst feels firm.

Breast cysts can be painful and may be worrisome but are generally benign. They are most common in pre-menopausal women in their 30s or 40s. They usually disappear after menopause, but may persist or reappear when using hormone therapy. They are also common in adolescents.

Breast cysts can be part of fibrocystic disease. The pain and swelling is usually worse in the second half of the menstrual cycle or during pregnancy.

Treating breast cysts is usually not necessary unless they are painful or cause discomfort. In most cases, the discomfort they cause may be alleviated by draining the fluid from the cyst. The cysts form as a result of the growth of the milk glands and their size may range from smaller than a pea to larger than a ping pong ball. Small cysts cannot be felt during a physical examination, and some large cysts feel like lumps. However, most cysts, regardless of their size cannot be identified during physical exams.

Breast cysts are not to be confused with "milk cysts" (galactoceles), which usually appear during weaning.

In ICD-10 the condition is called "diffuse cystic mastopathy", or, if there is epithelial proliferation, "fibrosclerosis of breast". Other names for this condition include "chronic cystic mastitis", "fibrocystic mastopathy" and "mammary dysplasia". The condition has also been named after several people (see eponyms below). Since it is a very common disorder, some authors have argued that it should not be termed a "disease", whereas others feel that it meets the criteria for a disease. It is not a classic form of mastitis (breast inflammation).

Invasive carcinoma of no special type (NST) is the most common form of invasive breast cancer. It accounts for 55% of breast cancer incidence upon diagnosis, according to statistics from the United States in 2004. On a mammogram, it is usually visualized as a mass with fine spikes radiating from the edges. On physical examination, this lump usually feels much harder or firmer than benign breast lesions such as fibroadenoma. On microscopic examination, the cancerous cells invade and replace the surrounding normal tissues. IDC is divided in several histological subtypes.

Inflammatory breast cancer is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer that can occur in women of any age (and,

extremely rarely, in men). It is called inflammatory because it frequently presents with symptoms resembling an inflammation. Despite the name, whether inflammation contributes to the development of "inflammatory breast cancer" remains an area of ongoing research. However it can present with very variable signs and symptoms, frequently without detectable tumors and therefore is often not detected by mammography or ultrasound.

Typical presentation is rapid swelling, sometimes associated by skin changes (peau d'orange), and nipple retraction. Other symptoms include rapid increase in breast size, redness, persistent itching, skin hot to touch. IBC often initially resembles mastitis.

Only about 50-75% cases have the typical presentation. Symptoms can be completely atypical such as acute central venous thrombosis as the sole presenting symptom.

IBC makes up only a small percentage of breast cancer cases (1-6% in the USA). IBC is often diagnosed in younger women although average age of presentation does not differ much from other kinds of breast cancer (average age 57 years). African-Americans are usually diagnosed at younger ages than Caucasian women, and also have a higher risk of getting IBC. Recent advances in therapy have improved the prognosis considerably and at least one third of women will survive the diagnosis by 10 years or longer.