• Online Scheduling | Careers

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center
  • Quick Links
    • Find a Doctor
    • Services
      • Services

        • View All Services
        • Behavioral Health
        • Critical Care Medicine
        • Diabetes Care
        • Diagnostic Imaging
        • Digestive Health
        • Emergency Services
        • Heart Care
        • Hospice
        • Infusion Services
        • Joint Replacement
        • Laboratory Services
        • Maternity Care
        • Neurology
        • Nutrition Services
        • Orthopedic Services
        • Pediatric Care
        • Pharmacy
        • Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
        • Rehabilitation Services
        • Sleep Disorders Center
        • Stroke Care
        • Surgical Services
        • Urgent Care
        • Women's Health
        • Wound Care
          • Patients & Visitors
            • For Patients

              • Patients & Visitors
              • Admissions
              • Cafeteria Information
              • Community Resources
              • DAISY Award Nominations
              • Directions
              • Events
              • Financial Information
              • Going Home
              • Health Library
              • Online Scheduling
              • Patient Portal
              • Request Medical Records
              • Spiritual Care
              • Your Stay
                • Careers
                • Locations
                  • Hospitals
                  • Mat-Su Medical Group
                  • Rehabilitation Centers
                  • Urgent Care
                  • Other Locations
                • About
                  • About

                    • About Us
                    • Awards & Accreditations
                    • Board of Directors
                    • Board of Trustees
                    • Careers
                    • Community Benefits
                    • Contact Us
                    • Newsroom
                    • Phone Directory
                    • Quality & Safety
                    • Senior Circle
                    • Volunteer Opportunities
                      • (907) 861-6000
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Online Bill Pay
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Events
                      • Contact
                      • analog clock icon
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        9 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      Home/Patients & Visitors/Health Library/Understanding Breast Health

                      Refine Results

                      About Us
                      eNewsletter Redirect
                      Events
                      Events
                      Find a Doctor
                      Locations
                      Notice of Non-Discrimination
                      Patients & Visitors
                      Admissions
                      Cafeteria Information
                      Community Resources
                      DAISY Award Nominations
                      Directions
                      Events
                      Financial Information
                      Billing & Insurance
                      Billing & Registration FAQ
                      Eligibility Services
                      Medicare
                      Online Bill Pay
                      Patient Protections Against Surprise Billing
                      Price Information
                      Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate
                      Going Home
                      Health Library
                      Online Scheduling
                      Online Check-In FAQ
                      Patient Portal
                      Patient Portal FAQ
                      Request Medical Records
                      Spiritual Care
                      Your Stay
                      Services
                      • information
                      • news
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        9 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      • Directions

                        Find Our Location
                      • American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recognizes Intensive Care Unit at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center with Silver Beacon Award for Excellence

                        05.19.2025

                      • Mat-Su Regional Medical Center Earns an "A" Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group

                        05.01.2025

                      • See All News & Press Releases
                      • Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Featuring a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                        Learn More
                      • Mobile Device

                        Online Scheduling

                        Free, convenient online check-in services.

                        Learn More
                      • Nurse and Patient

                        Patient Portal

                        Access your medical information
                        on demand.

                        Learn More

                      Understanding Breast Health

                      As a new mom, Jane takes every possible precaution to care for her health. She follows a sensible diet, takes daily walks and performs breast self-exams every month. Her mother-in-law, Margaret, has a similar mindset. At age 55, she stays active and up-to-date on regular checkups with her doctor.

                      Both women were concerned when they noticed changes in their breasts. Jane felt a lump under her arm while in the shower, and Margaret noticed an unusual discharge from her right nipple as she was getting ready for bed. Cancer was the first thing that came to mind in each instance. However, Jane and Margaret were both experiencing common noncancerous breast conditions.

                      As women mature, breast tissue changes. Age, hormones, injuries and diseases such as diabetes can affect the breasts, causing benign cysts, lumps and tumors to develop. While some abnormalities may point to breast cancer, most are symptoms of harmless changes in the tissue and ducts in the breast.

                      If you notice lumps, redness, tenderness or abnormal discharge coming from the breast, schedule a visit to your doctor. Women 29 to 39 should have a clinical breast exam every 1 to 3 years. Women 40 and older should have an exam annually.

                      In the case of any abnormalities, your doctor can determine the condition's cause through a physical exam and imaging scans, including mammograms, ultrasound or possibly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Your doctor is likely to discover fibrocystic change, which means scar-like tissue or fluid-filled cysts have formed in the breast. Many of these conditions do not need to be treated unless they are causing pain, in which case, over-the-counter pain relievers or outpatient surgery may offer some relief.

                      Noncancerous conditions affecting the breast include:

                      • Diabetic mastopathy causes small, hard lumps to form in the breast. It occurs most commonly in premenopausal women who have Type 1 diabetes.
                      • Fibroadenoma is a smooth rubbery or hard lump that moves around in the breast tissue, is most commonly found in teenagers and young women. Unless it is painful, it does not need to be removed.
                      • Hyperplasia occurs when there is an overgrowth of cells in the lobules or ducts of the breast. While it is not a sign of cancer, hyperplasia may signal an increased risk of breast cancer. Your doctor can offer options to lower this risk.
                      • Intraductal papillomas are small growths in the breast ducts and may cause nipple discharge. They occur most commonly in women ages 30 to 50 and may be removed surgically.

                      Want More Health Tips?

                      Sign up for our e-newsletter, Live Healthy, to receive a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                      Back

                      Mat-Su Regional Medical Center

                      • 2500 South Woodworth Loop
                      • Palmer, AK 99645
                      • P: (907) 861-6000
                      • F: (907) 861-6559

                      • ADA Accessibility Policy
                      • Terms & Conditions
                      • Privacy Policy
                      • Change Your Privacy Choices
                      • Notice of Privacy Practices
                      • Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      • Price Transparency

                      Copyright ©2025. All rights reserved.

                      An AllianceHealth Oklahoma® hospital

                      Services

                      • Behavioral Health
                      • Critical Care Medicine
                      • Diabetes Care
                      • Diagnostic Imaging
                      • Digestive Health
                      • Emergency Services
                      • Heart Care
                      • Hospice
                      • Infusion Services
                      • Joint Replacement
                      • Laboratory Services
                      • Maternity Care
                      • Neurology
                      • Nutrition Services
                      • Orthopedic Services
                      • Pediatric Care
                      • Pharmacy
                      • Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
                      • Rehabilitation Services
                      • Sleep Disorders Center
                      • Stroke Care
                      • Surgical Services
                      • Urgent Care
                      • Women's Health
                      • Wound Care

                      Patients & Visitors

                      • Admissions
                      • Cafeteria Information
                      • Community Resources
                      • DAISY Award Nominations
                      • Directions
                      • Events
                      • Financial Information
                      • Going Home
                      • Health Library
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Request Medical Records
                      • Spiritual Care
                      • Your Stay

                      About Us

                      • Awards & Accreditations
                      • Board of Directors
                      • Board of Trustees
                      • Careers
                      • Community Benefits
                      • Contact Us
                      • Newsroom
                      • Phone Directory
                      • Quality & Safety
                      • Senior Circle
                      • Volunteer Opportunities

                      Notice of Nondiscrimination
                      • English,
                      • አማርኛ,
                      • العربية,
                      • বাংলা,
                      • ျမန္မာဘာသာ,
                      • tsalagi gawonihisdi,
                      • 繁體中文,
                      • Chahta,
                      • Oroomiffa,
                      • Nederlands,
                      • Français,
                      • Kreyòl Ayisyen,
                      • Deutsch,
                      • ગુજરાતી,
                      • हिंदी,
                      • Hmoob,
                      • Igbo asusu,
                      • Ilokano,
                      • Italiano,
                      • 日本語,
                      • 한국어,
                      • Ɓàsɔ́ɔ̀‑wùɖù‑po‑nyɔ̀,
                      • ພາສາລາວ,
                      • Kajin Ṃajōḷ,
                      • ខ្មែរ,
                      • Diné Bizaad,
                      • नेपाली,
                      • Deitsch,
                      • فارسی,
                      • Polski,
                      • Português,
                      • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
                      • Română,
                      • Русский,
                      • Gagana fa'a Sāmoa,
                      • Srpsko‑hrvatski,
                      • Español,
                      • ܣܘܼܪܸܬ݂,
                      • Tagalog,
                      • ภาษาไทย,
                      • Türkçe,
                      • Українська,
                      • اُردُو,
                      • Tiếng Việt,
                      • èdè Yorùbá,
                      • עִברִית
                      Loading... Loading...