Can Trauma to the Breast Cause Breast Cancer?

One of the concerns women have when they experience trauma to their breasts is whether or not that trauma can cause breast cancer. You can breathe a sigh of relief, however: there is no indication that trauma of any kind is linked to breast cancer or causing breast cancer.

Side Effects of Breast Trauma

Traumatic breast injury is defined as any action or incident that causes damage to your breast or breast tissue. While most breast injuries do not result in permanent damage to the breasts, the result of breast trauma can be troubling to the person. Symptoms like pain, bruising, or a lump in the breast can make you believe you have breast cancer, but these tissue injuries, while uncomfortable, most often just require time for recovery.

Common Causes of Traumatic Breast Injury

The most common cause of a traumatic breast injury is a car accident. The seatbelt can cause trauma, or the airbag can deploy. Sometimes, the force of the collision slams your chest into the steering wheel. In all of these cases, it is possible to sustain an injury to your breast. Other causes of traumatic breast injury include assault, falling, or as the result of a sports injury.

Side Effects of Breast Trauma

Most traumatic breast injuries will cause significant pain, bruising, and in some cases, swelling of the breast tissue. The most serious complication from breast trauma is bleeding. If one of the main blood vessels in your breast is damaged, the bleeding can be very serious, even life threatening.

Why Do People Think Breast Trauma Causes Cancer?

People become concerned that breast trauma can cause cancer because the trauma can cause lumps to develop. These lumps, however, are not cancerous. There are two types of lumps that develop from trauma: a hematoma, which is a deep bruise that will heal, or a fat necrosis, which is scarred fatty tissue in the breast resulting from injury. There is no link between breast injury and breast cancer.

If you remain concerned about the risk to your breasts from an injury you sustained, you can get peace of mind from having a mammogram. Having regular 3D mammograms performed by an experienced board-certified breast imaging specialist is the best way to detect abnormalities early. If you do require annual mammograms, we invite you to visit PURE Mammography on Long Island today. There is no appointment necessary; you can simply stop in at your convenience. You can also call 631-652-3424 or fill out the form on this page to learn more about PURE or to pre-schedule an appointment.

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