QUESTION: what is fibroadenoma of the breast? 

ANSWERS: fibroadenoma breast are breast tumors that are not cancerous and are made of adenosis and stroma. Adenosis is the lobes of your breast that have developed hyperplasia, which is when the cells in the tissue grow faster and larger than expected. Stroma is the fibrous connective tissue which supports your mammary gland, or breast. These non-cancerous tumors are what you would find during your monthly breast exams if there are any present. They will also show up if you have an ultrasound or mammogram done. When a woman is in her twenties or thirties, this is when they are most likely to develop these tumors. When a woman becomes pregnant or breasts feeds these tumors may grow bigger.

An Inside Look at the Tumor

Most of the time these type of tumors are of the simple type and usually there is just one in your breast. They will usually have uniform cells and a definite border and if it is a simple tumor, it does not raise your risk for developing breast cancer.

The less common type is called a complex fibroadenoma and while they have a definite border like the simple ones, it is what is inside the tumors which makes it so much different. Inside the complex tumor it will not be uniform or organized. They do not usually become cancerous they can contain calcifications, enlarged breast lobules, small cysts, different types of hyperplasia, or papillomas. If it should be an atypical hyperplasia, this may raise your risk of getting breast cancer.

How it is Diagnosed

During your monthly exam you may be able to feel one of these tumors if one is present. It will firm, rubbery, and smooth and may move within the breast tissue when you are doing your exam. It should not be tender or painful feeling. These tumors can be as big as five centimeters but most are from one to three centimeters.

When you have a mammogram, the radiologist will be able to see them and then you can have an ultrasound done to help the radiologist distinguish it from a cyst that is filled with fluid. A breast biopsy is the only way to really know what that lump really is.

Treatments

There are many ways to treat a fibroadenoma of the breast if you have a diagnosis that is what it is. Here are some of the ways to treat it.

o Watch and wait-since most of these types of tumors are not troublesome and non-cancerous many times they will just shrink on their own. Just make sure that keep an eye on it and if there are any changes, such as it gets bigger, you should notify your physician.

o Lumpectomy-if you are worried about it staying in your breast you can have this surgical procedure done. Your breast shape and size may change if you have this surgery but it all depends on the size of your breast and the tumor. Having this surgery is not a guarantee that you will not have other fibroadenomas because they may grow back in the same general vicinity as the one you had removed. If you have this surgery the physician can have it examined by the pathology lab to rule out breast cancer and that the diagnosis of the lump was correct.

o Laser ablation-this is a non-surgical way to get rid of it. It can be done in your physician's office using an ultrasound guided laser device, which is used to destroy the tumor. All you will be left with is a small scar, no change in the shape of your breast, no sutures, no hospital visit, and no anesthesia.

o Cryoablation-this is a very efficient and fast way to freeze this type of tumor to death in just one office visit. This procedure will freeze the fibroadenoma and the healthy tissue will take over. It takes no more than thirty minutes to do and you will just have a small scar.

o Homeopathic treatments-you can use these to help treat and even prevent these little tumors by drinking herbal teas and tonics, using homeopathic pills, and ointments.

In Conclusion

The only way to know for sure what that lump you felt in your breast is. That is by having a breast biopsy done. If you find a lump talk to your physician to see what they think you should do.