Evaluation of Palpable Breast Masses - American Family Physician

strength-of-recommendation labels. B reast masses have a variety of etiologies, benign and malignant. Fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast mass; invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common malignancy.1 Most masses are benign, but breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women.2 Although most breast cancers occur in women older than 50 years, 31 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1996 and 2000 were younger than 50 years.3 An efficient and accurate evaluation can maximize cancer detection and minimize unnecessary testing and procedures.