Women's Health
If it’s not breast cancer, should you worry?
Noncancerous findings on a mammogram are common. Most of the time it’s no cause for concern, but some benign breast diseases do increase the risk for cancer.
You found a lump in your breast, and your doctor recommended a biopsy to rule out cancer. Statistically speaking, chances are very good that it’s not cancer. Some 80% of breast biopsies are negative.
But sometimes what the biopsy reveals is a benign breast disease, such as a cluster of noncancerous cells growing abnormally in the breast. You may wonder what that means and whether it will put you at higher risk for breast cancer down the line.
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About the Author
Kelly Bilodeau, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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