Breast fibroadenoma is a benign, very common tumor that usually occurs in women under age 30 in the form of a hard mass that causes no pain or discomfort, similar to a ball.
Generally, breast fibroadenoma measures up to 3 cm and is easily identifiable during menstruation or pregnancy due to increased production of hormones that increase in size.
- Breast fibroadenoma does not develop into cancer.
- But depending on the type.
- It may slightly increase your chances of developing breast cancer in the future.
The main sign of breast fibroadenoma is the appearance of a lump that:
When a woman experiences a lump during breast self-exam, she should see a mastologist for an evaluation and rule out breast cancer.
Any other symptoms are extremely rare, although some women may experience mild breast discomfort in the days immediately preceding menstruation.
Diagnosis of breast fibroadenoma is usually done by a mastologist through diagnostic tests, such as mammography and breast ultrasound.
There are different types of breast fibroadenoma
In addition, your doctor may also indicate that fibroadenoma is juvenile or giant, meaning it measures more than 5 cm, which is most common after pregnancy or during hormone replacement therapy.
In most cases, fibroadenoma and breast cancer are unrelated, as fibroadenoma is a benign tumor, unlike cancer, which is a malignant tumor. However, according to some studies, women who have the type of complex fibroadenoma may be up to 50% more likely to develop breast cancer in the future.
This means that having a fibroadenoma doesn’t mean you’ll have breast cancer, because even women who don’t have any fibroadenoma are also at risk of cancer. Thus, ideally, all women, with or without fibroadenoma, periodically undergo a breast self-examination to identify breast changes, as well as a mammogram at least once every 2 years to identify the first signs of cancer. Here’s how to perform a breast self-exam:
Breast fibroadenoma does not yet have a specific cause, however, it is possible to occur due to increased sensitivity of the body to the hormone estrogen. For example, women who take contraceptives appear to have an increased risk of developing fibroadenoma, especially if they start using them before age 20.
Breast fibroadenoma treatment should be guided by a mastologist, but is usually done only with annual mammograms and ultrasounds to monitor the development of the nodule, as it may go away on its own after menopause.
However, if your doctor suspects that the mass may be a cancer rather than a fibroadenoma, he or she may recommend surgery to remove the fibroadenoma and perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.
After breast fibroadenoma surgery, the nodule may recur and therefore surgery should only be used in cases of suspected breast cancer, as it does not cure breast fibroadenoma.