Most breast changes turn out to be benign.
Depending on the clinical features, women with a benign breast finding may need medical management, surgery, or just reassurance and follow-up. That decision is made only after the same triple assessment we use for every patient, and a discussion with you.
Management of benign breast diseases
What we commonly see
Most of what brings a woman to a breast clinic turns out to be one of these — and each is assessed with the same care as anything else, so nothing is dismissed without a proper look.
Fibroadenoma
A benign breast lump. Most need nothing more than assessment and follow-up — surgery is only considered if it is large, causing cosmetic concern, or there is any doubt about the diagnosis.
Cysts
One of the commonest benign findings — assessed with the same triple assessment, and often needs nothing more than reassurance and follow-up.
Breast pain
Cyclical or non-cyclical mastalgia is usually benign. Pain on its own, without a lump, is not typically a sign of cancer — but it is still worth being examined so you know for certain.
Duct ectasia
A benign condition of the milk ducts, and another of the common reasons for nipple discharge. Assessed the same way, and managed with medication, surgery, or simply reassurance and follow-up, depending on what we find.
How it is assessed
A breast symptom, whatever it turns out to be, is evaluated the same way — a clinical examination, imaging, and, where it is needed, a tissue diagnosis, all at the One Stop Breast Clinic.
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Clinical examination
We examine you ourselves, and talk through what we find before you leave the room.
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Imaging
Mammogram, ultrasound or MRI — whichever is right for you — done at the same visit, not booked for another week.
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Tissue diagnosis
Where it is needed, a sample is taken at the same visit, so you leave with an answer rather than an appointment.
What happens next
Depending on what the assessment finds, you may need medical management, surgery, or just reassurance and follow-up. This decision is taken after the triple assessment, and in discussion with you.
Even without cancer, surgery is sometimes needed for a proven benign lump — a fibroadenoma that is large, causing cosmetic concern, or where there is any doubt about the diagnosis; a phyllodes tumour, which needs to be removed with margins; or a papillary lesion. These are day-care lumpectomy procedures, done in a way that preserves the size, shape and look of the breast.
If you have pathological nipple discharge — bloody, watery, profuse, from a single duct, or spontaneous — surgery may be needed after thorough evaluation: removal of the affected duct or ducts, again as a day-care procedure that preserves the breast's shape and look.
Most malignant lumps are painless. So pain on its own is usually benign — but a lump should still be assessed.
Contact
You will be looked after.
Clinics at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and Apollo Athenaa Women's Cancer Centre, with video consultations six days a week.
| Location | Days | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Sarita Vihar | Tue, Thu, Sat | 2:00 – 4:00 PM |
| Apollo Athenaa Women's Cancer Centre, Defence Colony | Mon, Wed, Fri | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Video consultation | Mon to Sat | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM |