An armpit lumpor axillary lumpcan occur as a symptom of many conditions that range from harmless to serious.
It is often the result of an enlarged lymph node.
Many armpit lumps appear and then go away after a few days.
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Pain may or may not be present.
A healthcare provider should check any armpit lump that is hard and doesn’t change.
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Is an Armpit Lump a Symptom of Breast Cancer?
It usually develops beneath the skin.
An armpit lump can vary in size, texture, and discomfort (e.g.
if it impacts arm mobility).
Approximately 12.9% of females will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives.
It is uncommon for females under age 40 to develop breast cancer.
For adolescent females, it is unlikely that any breast lumps are cancerous.
This equates to approximately one in 65 females.
The risk grows with agebreast cancer risk for a female in their 50s is one in 42.
Other factors, such as genetics, can also influence an individual’s risk of developing breast cancer.
When an armpit lump is related to breast cancer, it is usually due to lymph node involvement.
When breast cancer spreads, it typically spreads to lymph nodes that are closest to the breast.
Other lymph nodes that breast cancer may initially spread to include ones in the collarbone and breastbone.
Individuals who develop this form of breast cancer tend to have a poorer prognosis.
Other Causes of Armpit Lumps
When a lymph node swells, it is calledaxillary lymphadenopathy.
Lymph nodes swell for reasons other than breast cancer, such as viruses and infections.
So, a swollen lymph node does not necessarily mean cancer.
Some armpit lumps will go away on their own without treatment.
If the lump is linked to an infection, such as an abscess, it may go away withantibiotics.
Some may require drainage or surgical removal.
Your healthcare provider will want to confirm the diagnosis if cancer is suspected.
Your healthcare provider will order tests to determine a diagnosis.
You may first notice an armpit lump because it is annoying.
Or you may notice it during abreast self-exam (BSE).
It is usually safe to wait a few days to see how it progresses.
Many times, the lump will disappear without treatment.
There is no way to know whether an armpit lump is linked to breast cancer by feeling it.
A healthcare provider should check any armpit lump that is hard and doesn’t move.
They can provide a diagnosis and treatment plan.
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2022;64(1):5571.
National Cancer Institute.Breast cancer risk in American women.
American Cancer Society.Lymph nodes and cancer.
American Cancer Society.Lymph node surgery for breast cancer.
2022;83(5):1189-1194.
NI Direct.Lumps and swellings.
National Health Service.Skin abscess.
National Health Service.Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).
Seattle Childrens Hospital.Wound infection.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer early detection and diagnosis.
2016;34(25):2961-8. doi:10.1200/JCO.2016.67.3061
