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Radial Scars
Radial scars are also called complex sclerosing lesions. They’re most often found when a breast biopsy is done for some other reason. Sometimes radial scars look like a distortion of the normal breast tissue on a mammogram.
What are radial scars?
Radial scars are not really scars, but they look like scars when seen under a microscope. They don't usually cause symptoms. They are important because if they are large enough, they may look like cancer on an imaging test such as a mammogram, or even on a biopsy.
How do radial scars affect your risk for breast cancer?
Radial scars seem to be linked to a slight increase in breast cancer risk.
Do radial scars need to be treated?
Doctors might recommend surgery to remove radial scars that are found on a needle biopsy. Watching them closely using imaging tests to make sure they aren’t growing or changing might be another option.
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
American Society of Breast Surgeons. Resource Guide: Surgical Management of Benign or High-Risk Lesions. 2024. Accessed at https://www.breastsurgeons.org/docs/statements/asbrs-high-risk-lesions.pdf on March 13, 2026.
Collins LC, Schnitt SJ. Chapter 9: Pathology of benign breast disorders. In: Harris JR, Lippman ME, Morrow M, Osborne CK, eds. Diseases of the Breast. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2014.
Lv M, Zhu X, Zhong S, et al. Radial scars and subsequent breast cancer risk: A meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 2014:9(7):e102503.
Matrai C, D'Alfonso TM, Pharmer L, et al. Advocating nonsurgical management of patients with small, incidental radial scars at the time of needle core biopsy: A study of 77 cases. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2015;139:1137-1142.
Orr B, Kelley JL. Benign breast diseases: Evaluation and management. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2016;59(4):710-726.
Sabel MS. Overview of benign breast diseases. UpToDate. 2026. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-benign-breast-diseases on March 13, 2026.
Last Revised: May 26, 2026
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