Benign breast disease.

Benign breast disease is common in women. Because it is not a life-threatening condition, epidemiology information and research into the etiology and diagnosis is lacking. Benign breast disease encompasses a variety of conditions; some are harmless, but others increase the risk of breast cancer in patients. Among lesions that add to a woman's risk of breast cancer, the magnitude of this increased risk varies and a family history of breast or ovarian cancers increases risk even more. When a woman has significant symptoms of benign breast disease, it often raises suspicion of breast cancer, and physicians rely on imaging examinations and biopsies to determine the nature of the condition.