Women with fibrocystic changes may experience a persistent or intermittent aching or breast tenderness related to periodic swelling.

[citation needed] This condition is an accumulative process, partly caused by the normal hormonal variation during a woman's monthly cycle.

Chronic hormonal fluctuations eventually produce small cysts and/or areas of dense or fibrotic tissue over the years.

[7] Over time, presumably driven by aberrant growth signals, such lesions may accumulate epigenetic, genetic and karyotypic changes such as modified expression of hormone receptors and loss of heterozygosity.

Adenosis involves an abnormal count and density of lobular units, while other lesions appear to mainly arise from ductal epithelial origins.

Nipple fluid aspiration can be used as a classification cyst type method (and to some extent improve breast cancer risk prediction) but is rarely used in practice.

[13] Women may detect lumps in their breasts during self-examination; if this happens it is strongly advised to visit a health professional immediately.

In order to establish whether the lump is a cyst or not, several imaging tests may be performed, which may include mammography, X-rays, MRIs and ultrasound studies.

A diagnostic mammography consists of a series of X-rays that provide clear and specific visualization of areas in the breast.

The procedure consists in removing a sample of breast tissue, which is then studied by a pathologist under a microscope.

This test is generally performed in conjunction with an ultrasound which is helpful in guiding the needle into a small or hard-to-find lump.

The procedure consists in inserting a thin needle into the breast tissue while the lump is palpated and seen live under sonographic ultrasound waves.

There is still controversy whether benign breast conditions improve or worsen with the use of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy.

[15] Small-scale studies have indicated that fibrocystic breast changes may improve by making dietary changes (especially by reducing caffeine intake and related methylxanthines found in chocolate or tea) and usage of vitamin supplements.

[16] Tentative evidence has shown beneficial effects of iodine supplementation in women with fibrocystic breast changes.

The strength of the family history of breast cancer, available for 4808 women, was a risk factor that was independent of histologic findings.

For atypical lobular hyperplasia there is high incidence of ipsilateral breast cancers, indicating a possible direct carcinogenetic link.

[26] Other names for the condition include chronic cystic mastitis, fibrocystic mastopathy and mammary dysplasia.