Does Breast Pain Mean Cancer?

Breast pain is common. You might also hear it called mastalgia or mastodynia. It can sometimes be a sign of something serious, but it is not usually a sign of cancer. Pain in the breast can happen in people of any gender or age.

What causes breast pain?

You could feel pain in or around a breast or both breasts for many reasons. Most breast pain is not due to cancer. The most common cause of breast pain is related to hormonal changes.

• Hormonal changes caused by your menstrual cycle, birth control pills, or hormone treatments can cause breast pain.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause your breasts and nipples to be tender and painful.
• Ill-fitting bras can cause breast pain or discomfort.
• Injury or trauma to your breast can cause pain.
• Infection within the breast, called mastitis, can cause your breasts to become sore, swollen, or reddened.
• Noncancerous breast conditions like cysts, fibrosis, and other benign tumors might cause pain or tenderness.

Keeping track of your breast pain

Keeping track of when your breast pain happens is important because it might uncover patterns that help your healthcare team identify the cause of your breast pain. These patterns can be either cyclical or noncyclical.

Cyclical breast pain

Cyclical breast pain happens in cycles because of changing hormone levels. It can be felt in one or both breasts and described as tenderness, swelling, or a feeling of heaviness.

For example:

• Your breasts might become tender in the week before your period when the hormone levels are higher. When your period starts, your hormone levels decrease, and the pain goes away until the next cycle.
• Using birth control pills or other hormonal treatment given in cycles can cause breast soreness that comes and goes regularly.

Noncyclical breast pain

Noncyclical breast pain can be constant, but it might also come and go over time. It’s usually described as being in one area of the breast, chest, or armpit. This type of breast pain is not related to a menstrual cycle.

Can breast pain be a sign of breast cancer?

Breast pain by itself is usually not a sign of most breast cancers, but breast cancer symptoms can include feeling pain in or around a mass, in other parts of the breast, or in an armpit.

If breast cancer causes pain, it usually:

• Occurs along with other symptoms in the breast or nipple
• Is a constant, noncyclical pain that lasts more than a few weeks

If pain is felt, it might be described as soreness, tightness, burning, prickling, or a stabbing sensation in a specific area.

Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms

A rare type of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer commonly causes pain. Other symptoms of this type of breast cancer include:

• Swelling and firmness that develops quickly.
• Changes to the skin that make the skin look red and dimpled, like an orange peel.

If you experience these symptoms, it’s important to tell your healthcare team so a cause can be found and treated, if needed.

When should I worry about breast pain?

Frequent or recurring breast pain can be worrisome. It can also interfere with your everyday activities and quality of life. It can cause sleep problems, sexual concerns, and difficulty doing certain exercises and activities. Breast pain that doesn’t go away can point to an underlying condition.

Talk to your doctor or a healthcare professional if:

• You have breast pain that is constant.
• Your breast pain comes and goes at times other than during a menstrual cycle.

Your healthcare team might do more testing so they can figure out the underlying cause and treat or manage it. You might need some mild pain medicine or need to use other methods. Ask your healthcare team what might work best for you.

Maintain your breast health

You can take steps to maintain your breast health.

Know your breast cancer risk: For women, it’s important to know your breast cancer risk. There are some breast cancer risk factors you can’t change, such as family history and age. But there are some risk factors you can control.

Get regular screening: It is also important for women to follow breast cancer screening recommendations. Getting regular screening can help find problems in your breasts that might or might not be cancer. Some of these conditions and some breast cancers might cause breast pain.

Know your body: Know how your breasts usually look and feel so you are aware of any changes that occur that should be looked at by a doctor.