I am 47 and perimenopausal. Have always had dense fibroid breast tissue. 2 biopsies negative for cancer in last 5 years. Don't notice any rashes or breast discoloration or nipple change only that left breast is much larger. No nipple discharge. Have never had children. Keep seeing inflammitory breast cancer as only reason why one breast would suddenly grow larger. Can it be hormonal? Glandular? Anything besides cancer? What would be best way to diagnose if IBC? Mother died of liver cancer. Don't know family history of breast cancer.
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Q: What would cause my left breast to suddenly grow larger within days beside breast cancer?
Answers (5)
5/ 2/09 6:44am
Hi Nikki - If your whole breast has grown larger, rather than just suddenly developing a large lump (which could be a cyst), I'm not sure what could be going on. Only a doctor can figure this ou, so your best bet will be getting in to see one if this doesn't resolve over the weekend. Good luck - PJH
5/ 2/09 6:47am
Nikki, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is one possibility for a sudden change in your breast. With IBC, cancer cells clogging the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast cause swelling, redness, pain, and often dimpled skin (the texture of orange peel). One small study at the Mayo Clinic found that scar tissue from previous surgery can have the same effect, so your history of biopsies may be a factor. Infections like cellulitis and mastitis can also cause swelling although usually with reddened skin. Whatever the possible causes, you need to see a doctor soon. If your doctor has weekend hours, call today to set up an appointment for early next week. If not, call first thing Monday morning. Most IBC patients present with more than one of the IBC symptoms, so I think it is too early to panic about this being cancer. However, a sudden change in just one breast needs to be checked out.
3/30/11 3:29pm
I'm 31 and the same thing happened to me last year! I've been the doctors about 5 times and they said they don't know why but it doesn't appear sinister... as the only main symptoms are the change in size (and this fluctuates throughout the month) and a really itchy armpit... but no lumps, rashes, dimples, just feels lumpier in general and swells even more after a check so I try not to touch it now. It's driving me mad as I don't know what it is.
1/27/12 12:49am
Don't know but I have the same question.
1/27/12 5:48am
LizzieB, you don't mention how long you have had this problem or how much swelling there is, so it's hard to say what it might be. Some women just have one breast that is larger than the other. This difference is their normal. Over the course of a menstrual cycle, many women's breasts swell and then get smaller as hormones fluctuate. In some women this swelling may not be even.
However, if this swelling is a change from your normal shape and it doesn't go down after your period, then it needs to be checked out by a doctor. Because of my personal history with inflammatory breast cancer, I may be overly cautious. This will probably turn out to be some sort of hormonal issue or an infection, however, you must be proactive about breast changes, especially if you have any other symptoms like redness, skin dimpling or pain.
1/27/12 5:05am
Hi, Nikki - Are you feeling any pain? I assume not, as you'd have mentioned it. IBC is usually accompanied by pain, or redness, a feeling of heat... something beyond the breast enlargement you describe. It's unlikely you'd have breast cancer, and rarer still that it would be IBC, so odds are this is caused by something else. Phyllis, our IBC expert, will be a better person to address this than I - I'll alert her to your post, OK? Thanks for your patience - PJH
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By Nikki46— Last Modified: 01/27/12, First Published: 05/02/09
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You might consider seeing a breast specialist - this sounds really uncomfortable. Even if it's not cancer, that doesn't mean you can't try to figure out what it is and get it treated. Hope you can get some relief soon - PJH