Fibroadenomas are solid, noncancerous breast lumps that most commonly affect women aged 15 to 35.
A fibroadenoma has a well-defined form and may feel solid, smooth, rubbery, or rigid. When checked, it may feel like a marble in your breast, sliding easily under your skin. Fibroadenomas vary in size and can expand or contract on their own.
In young women, fibroadenomas are among the most frequent noncancerous (benign) breast lumps. Monitoring to identify changes in size or feel, a biopsy to assess the lump, or surgery to remove it may be used as treatment.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF FIBROADENOMAS?
Aside from basic fibroadenomas, there are:
Complex fibroadenomas: These can include alterations like an expansion of cells (hyperplasia) that can increase quickly. After studying biopsy samples, a pathologist determines the diagnosis of a complicated fibroadenoma.
Juvenile fibroadenomas: This is the most prevalent form of breast lump seen in girls and teenagers aged 10 to 18. These fibroadenomas can grow in size, but most decrease and vanish over time.
Giant fibroadenomas: These can grow to be more than 2 inches long (5 centimeters). They may need to be removed if they push on or replace other breast tissue.
Phyllodes tumor: Although most phyllodes tumors are benign, some might develop into malignancy (malignant). Doctors typically advise that they be removed.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FIBROADENOMA?
Fibroadenomas are solid breast masses that are typically:
- Round with clear, clean edges
- Moved easily
- Rubbery or firm
- Painless
One or both breasts may have one or more fibroadenomas.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF FIBROADENOMA?
Fibroadenomas have an unclear etiology, however they may be connected to reproductive hormones. Fibroadenomas are more common throughout your reproductive years, can become larger during pregnancy or with hormone treatment, and may diminish after menopause as hormone levels fall.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF FIBROADENOMA?
The majority of fibroadenomas have no effect on your chance of developing breast cancer. If you have a complicated fibroadenoma or a phyllodes tumor, your risk of breast cancer may increase somewhat.
HOW IS FIBROADENOMA DIAGNOSED?
During a clinical breast exam, your doctor will look for lumps and other issues in both breasts. Because certain fibroadenomas are too tiny to feel, they can only be detected by imaging studies.
If you have a palpable lump, your doctor may prescribe various tests or treatments based on your age and the features of the lump.
Breast lump evaluation tests
- Diagnostic mammography: Mammography creates a picture (mammogram) of suspicious regions in your breast tissue using X-rays. On a mammography, a fibroadenoma may look as a breast lump with smooth, round borders that is different from surrounding breast tissue.
- Breast ultrasound: Sound waves are used in this technique to create images of the interior of the breast. If you have dense breast tissue, your doctor may prescribe a breast ultrasound in addition to a mammography to investigate a breast lump.
If a woman under the age of 30 has a breast lump, her doctor would most likely prescribe a breast ultrasound to analyze the lump initially.
If a mammography reveals a breast lump or other abnormalities, a breast ultrasound may be utilized to further evaluate the mass. A breast ultrasound can tell your doctor if a breast lump is solid or fluid-filled. A fibroadenoma is more likely to be a solid mass, whereas a cyst is more likely to be fluid-filled.
Breast lump evaluation procedures
- Fine-needle aspiration: Your doctor will attempt to extract the contents of the breast lump using a small needle placed into your breast. If fluid leaks from the bulge, it is most likely a cyst.
- Core needle biopsy: This treatment is often performed by a radiologist using ultrasound guidance. The doctor takes tissue samples from the lump with a needle and sends them to a lab for examination.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR FIBROADENOMA?
Fibroadenomas do not always require treatment. Some ladies, however, choose surgical removal for their peace of mind.
Nonsurgical treatment
You may not require surgery if your doctor is pretty convinced that your breast lump is a fibroadenoma based on the results of the clinical breast exam, imaging test, and biopsy.
You may opt against having surgery because:
- Breast surgery can alter the form and texture of the breast.
- Fibroadenomas can diminish or vanish on their own.
- Multiple fibroadenomas in the breast appear to be stable, with no changes in size on an ultrasound compared to a previous scan.
If you decide not to undergo surgery, it is critical to monitor the fibroadenoma with regular doctor visits for breast ultrasounds to identify changes in the look or size of the lump. If you grow concerned about the fibroadenoma, you might rethink having it removed.
Surgery
If one of your tests — the clinical breast exam, an imaging test, or a biopsy — is abnormal, or if the fibroadenoma is particularly large, grows, or causes symptoms, your doctor may prescribe surgery to remove it.
The following procedures are used to remove a fibroadenoma:
- Lumpectomy or excisional biopsy: A surgeon extracts breast tissue and sends it to a lab to be tested for malignancy during this surgery.
- Cryoablation: A tiny, wand-like instrument (cryoprobe) is inserted through your skin to the fibroadenoma by your doctor. The tissue is frozen and destroyed using a gas.
Following the removal of a fibroadenoma, one or more secondary fibroadenomas may form. A mammography, ultrasound, and potentially a biopsy are required to identify whether a new breast lump is a fibroadenoma or has the potential to become malignant.
HOW CAN FIBROADENOMA BE PREVENTED?
Unfortunately, there is little you can do to reduce your risk of fibroadenomas. However, you may take the following precautions to lower your risk of breast cancer and catch it early, when it is most treatable:
- Avoid alcohol or consume in moderation.
- Examine your breasts to get to know them.
- Attend frequent mammography tests.
- Make appropriate dietary choices, exercise, and keep a healthy weight.
CONCLUSION
Finding a breast lump might be frightening, but the majority of lumps are not malignant. Once you understand how a benign fibroadenoma feels, you will be able to detect any questionable changes and identify new benign lumps. The majority of persons with fibroadenomas do not require treatment. Some lumps will go away on their own, but never assume a new lump is harmless without having it examined!