A Hard Lump in Your Breast could be a Symptom of Breast Cancer
The most common sign of breast cancer is a lump in the breast. A lump may also appear near the collarbone or in the armpit area (ACS, 2020).
We often say that a cancerous lump feels a lot like a lemon seed. While it can sometimes be soft or painful, a cancerous lump is often hard and painless. It can be any shape or size (ACS, 2023).
A lump can sometimes be easier to push around in its early growth, but as it develops it will often become more immovable (Cleveland, 2023). Any lump that feels different to the rest of the breast should be checked out.
A lump is not always easy to feel. If you have access to breast cancer screening, use it! A mammogram can detect a lump long before it can be felt.
Note: Most breast lumps are benign (harmless). Cysts, fibroadenomas, and other conditions can cause a lump that feels similar to breast cancer (ACS, 2024). Additional testing can determine whether a lump is cancerous.
Noticing a dimple in your breast can be concerning, and it’s important to get it checked so you can understand what’s going on. If you’re already searching online about a breast change, that’s a sign it’s time for a proper medical investigation. To learn the steps for investigating a breast change and how to confidently talk with your doctor, download our Know Your Lemons app.
You are not alone.
There are many women who have experienced what you are going through right now. Below are some first-hand experiences of women who want to help you understand what to do next and know that you are not alone in your journey. Watch their videos or click on their names to read their full story. If you have an experience with this symptoms please consider sharing your story with us.
“I laid down to do a self-exam and felt around where I was sore. And sure enough there was a hard lemon seed sized lump that I found, it was hard. It was immovable. A number of years back. I had seen a Know Your Lemons 12 signs poster in my OBGYNs office and finding this triggered that image in my head.”
— Aubra F. (Tennessee, USA)
“This life experience reminded me of the significance of advocacy. If you cannot advocate for yourself or have issues advocating for yourself, find someone to help you. So now that’s what I do. I share my story wherever I can, whenever I can. And I’m so proud to do so.”
—Christina M. (Virgina, USA)
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 28. I will be three years cancer-free in a couple of months because I caught it early by doing self breast exams.”
—Katelyn H. (Michigan, USA)
“Mine was a lump that I found myself, but it was also slightly warm and reddish. So what I take from this is, please advocate for yourself. Please do your checkups. Early detection saves lives.”
— Maija W. (Latvia)
“I share my story to encourage anyone in a similar situation, especially if you're young with no family history of cancer. Trust your instincts, seek medical evaluation, and speak up for what you believe is right for your body.”
—Jaclyn S. (New Jersey, USA)
“It's really important to know what is normal for your body so that you can say, ‘Right, that's not quite normal this month. Let me just check next month, see if that's still there, and go and get it checked.’"
—Darlaine H. (Surrey, England)
“I have found that there are amazing resources like Know Your Lemons, I love the visual part that they share because I'm a visual learner. And so to be able to see like, okay, these are the things that are abnormal. So the the lemon picture where you see the lump on the side, that was me. That was my journey.”
—Kristina P. (California, USA)
“Breast cancer can feel lonely. Although there's so many women everywhere that are dealing with this. It was really nice to be able to see people from around the world who are advocating for this who are going through the same thing and we're all just supporting each other.”
—Nisha J. (California, USA)
“I found a small lump above my right breast, which I was sure was nothing because I have three little kids and I breastfed all three of them, so it must have been some leftover lump or bump from that. My gut told me to go to my family doctor just to like confirm”
—Emma R. (Canada)
“It is so important to just know your body and trust your gut. If there's something in you that says something is not okay, trust it, honor it, and go to the doctor.”
— Bernice M. (South Africa)
