Non-cancerous breast conditions

Many breast symptoms and conditions are not cancerous and can be left alone or monitored for any changes over time.

The links on this page will provide more information for these conditions:

Benign breast conditions

Other breast conditions that can be left alone or left alone and monitored

Lobular Neoplasia In Situ – Benign breast conditions: Lobular neoplasia (breastcancernow.org)
Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia (ADH) – Benign breast conditions: Hyperplasia and atypical hyperplasia (breastcancernow.org)
Fibroepithelial Hyperplasia

Breast Pain Service

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Breast Pain Service was established in July 2022. 

The Breast Service receives approx. 10,000 two week wait referrals each year; however a recent audit found that around 20% of two week wait referral patients have breast pain only. Patients with breast pain alone do not require a two week wait clinic appointment, as breast pain with no other symptoms is not an indication for breast cancer.

Patient Pathway

  1. Initial GP appointment – contact your GP to arrange and appointment and discuss any concerns you are having
  2. GP referral to Breast Pain Service – You GP will refer you to the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) Breast Pain Service via the NHS e-referrals system (e-RS)
  3. Specialist Advice and Guidance – we will register you on the patient administration system and place you on a holding waiting list for up to 12 weeks. An information pack containing specialist advice and guidance will be posted out to you.
  4. Self-management / monitoring – Follow the guidance in the information pack. We encourage you to try the self-management steps for up to 6 weeks before arranging to come to the Breast Pain Clinic. If we do not hear from you within 12 weeks, we assume things have settled and will be discharged back to your GP.
  5. Optional breast clinic appointment – If you would like to come to the clinic, you can arrange an appointment was calling the number on your patient information letter. You do not need to attend a clinic but it is available if you have ongoing concerns you would like to discuss. The Breast Pain Clinic is run by experienced clinicians – they will listen to your concerns, ask questions and examine you. It is unusual you would require a mammogram or ultrasound scan for pain in the breast.

Upon receipt of your referral to the Breast Pain Service, we will send you an information pack in the post which includes lots of useful information/tools i.e., a link/QR code to the explaining breast pain and breast self-examination videos, which have been created especially for the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust by Explain My Procedure Ltd.

The Breast Pain Service clinic takes place on a weekly basis and is led by Consultant Breast Surgeon, Ms Emma MacInnes.  

If you would like any further information about the Breast Pain Service, please email [email protected]

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