Q Is breast pain associated with an increased risk of cancer?
Breast pain or Mastalgia does not mean you have a breast cancer. On the contrary, pain can be very late symptom of breast cancer in many women. There are several other reasons for this. If it is periodic and appear before or during your menstrual cycle, then this is very normal and its due to hormonal changes during this phase. If it is obsereved in early pregancy or at menopausal age, then again it is normal. Other causes for breast pain which is not associated with hormonal changes are: consumption of oral contraceptives, ill fitting bra, benign tomours, hormone replacement therapies, weight gain etc. If the pain is continued for much longer time, it is not cyclical, it is on one side only or if it is too severe, one should consult a doctor for further evaluation.