All about breast fibroadenoma

Fibroadenomas become the most common type of breast tumor. They are solid, not filled with liquid, have well defined edges and, as a rule, round or oval shape. Fibroadenomas are benign tumors. This means that they will not become cancerous, and can not turn into cancer tissue. They may increase in size over time, especially during hormonal changes.

They consist of glandular tissue of the breast and stroma (connective) tissue. This disease is quite common during puberty, among young women under 30 years, but also happens in women of any age. It is believed that the tumor occurs because of increased sensitivity to the female hormone estrogen. The use of contraceptive pills by young girls may also be associated with a risk of fibroadenoma.

This tumor usually has a smooth and elastic structure and moves fairly easily under the skin. It is usually painless, but sometimes people can feel some discomfort or even pain.

Some fibroadenomas are so small that they can not be felt. To see the same tumor sometimes is possible only when the breast tissue is removed and examined under a microscope. They are usually round and have boundaries that differ from the gland located near the tissue. Sometimes a woman can feel this education as a kind of marble slice that moves under the skin. You can have one or more fibroadenomas.

Fibroadenomas are usually about 1 to 3 cm in size and are called simple fibroadenomas. Sometimes fibroadenoma can grow up to 5 cm and will be called a large fibroadenoma.

Most fibroadenomas remain of the same original size and even tend to decrease, and some eventually disappear altogether with time.

Diagnosis

Fibroadenomas usually become noticeable when a woman begins to feel a lump in her chest. And if you notice any strange formations in your chest, then you need to come to the doctor and take a survey.

In the clinic you will undergo a variety of studies to assess the condition and the formulation of an accurate diagnosis:

• Clinical examination of mammary glands.

• Chest X-ray or ultrasound.

• Taking a tissue sample or breast biopsy, this procedure is performed by a doctor under local anesthesia.

Fibroadenoma is often easier to identify in young women. If you are at the age of 20 years and younger, your tumor can be diagnosed on the basis of only an ultrasound scan. However, if there is any uncertainty, your doctor will have to make a biopsy.

If you are at the age of 40, then you are most likely to be offered a mammogram. Tissues in the chest in young women can be dense, and in this regard, the x-ray image will give a less clear result.

Pathology results are usually available within 2-5 days.

Treatment

Many doctors recommend the removal of fibroadenomas under local anesthesia without surgery, especially if they continue to grow or if they change the shape of the breast. Most women can return to work or other routine activities after this procedure and a short recovery period.

Procedures for the removal of fibroadenoma include:

Lampectomy or Excisional Biopsy. In this procedure, the surgeon removes a piece of tissue from the chest and sends them to the lab to check for cancer.

Crisis. The doctor inserts a thin stick (cryoprobe) through the skin to the fibroadenoma. The gas is used to freeze the tissue. Some fibroadenomas are too large to freeze them. The curvature is used only if the diagnosis is beyond doubt.

Sometimes one or more new tumors appear and grow in place of the removed ones.

Sometimes, especially in the middle and old age, these tumors cease to grow or even shrink on their own, without any treatment. In this case, provided the doctors are confident that this is indeed fibroadenoma, and not breast cancer, they can put your breasts simply under observation, in order to be convinced of its lack of growth. This approach is useful for women with a large number of fibroadenomas, which do not increase. Removing them all can mean spoiling a large number of neighboring normal gland tissues, resulting in many scars that will change the shape and texture of the breast.

Most fibroadenomas do not have much influence on the development of breast cancer. But still, this risk may increase slightly if you have a complex fibroadenoma that may contain abnormal cysts or dense opaque deposits called calcifications.