Fibrous adenoma of the breast is a benign tumor that is formed from connective tissue.
This diagnosis is detected in 8% of cases of tumors in the mammary gland.
The tumor can develop in women of different ages, in particular, juvenile tumors are diagnosed in girls 12-20 years of age, mature tumors in the mammary gland are diagnosed in patients 20-30 years of age, and during menopause, women are diagnosed with breast fibroadenoma.
The attending physician will tell the woman in detail what breast fibroadenoma is and how to avoid it. The disease is detected in the form of a lump in the right / left breast, in its upper part. When palpated, the tumor will be smooth and elastic; it differs from a malignant tumor in its mobility, since it is not attached to the skin. During palpation, the fibroadenoma will not hurt.
The size of the adenoma may vary, but a fibroma with a diameter of 3-8 mm is detected. In rare cases, the tumor grows up to 15 cm in size, becoming noticeable. The breast sometimes becomes deformed and increases in size compared to a healthy organ.
Types of breast tumors
Breast fibroadenoma is classified according to types and forms. There are two forms of the disease: immature and mature. The first is typical for adenomas that form in young girls.
The difference between an immature adenoma is that it does not have a capsule. This feature allows doctors to cure the disease without surgery. The second form of adenoma (mature) is detected more often after 20 years, its main feature is the presence of an external capsule, therefore such breast fibroadenoma cannot be treated with herbs, homeopathy, or medications.
Fibroadenomatosis of the mammary glands is divided into nodular and leaf-shaped. Among the nodular tumors there are:
- pericanacular (connective tissues near the glandular ducts are deformed);
- intracanacular (connective tissues grow into glandular tissues);
- mixed tumor (includes signs of fibroadenoma of previous types).
Leaf-shaped fibroadenomatosis of the mammary gland is a tumor that quickly increases in size and can mutate into sarcoma. The composition of such fibrous adenoma of the mammary gland resembles leaf-shaped layers.
The tumor is rare and indicates the need for surgical intervention. Nodular adenoma occurs at any age, and leaf-shaped fibroadenomatosis of the mammary gland in the overwhelming majority of cases is detected in women over 40 years of age.
Symptoms of adenoma in the mammary gland
Considering that fibroadenoma usually shows virtually no symptoms, it is considered an insidious disease. As it grows, it causes the woman to feel unwell, the temperature rises, and the pain inside the gland will appear more often and more intensely. In the early stages, while the symptoms of breast fibroadenoma do not yet clearly appear, a woman may feel a lump during hygiene procedures.
It is easy to identify a tumor when it is large - it is visible to the naked eye. Breast fibroadenoma is located next to the nipple, it can cause pain when touched, there is a discharge of colorless fluid and cracks in the nipple.
If suddenly the adenoma turns into a sarcoma, then the skin over the tumor will change color, and the neoplasm will be noticeable upon examination.
Reasons for tumor development
Doctors do not know the exact reasons for the appearance of adenoma. Presumably, factors provoking fibroadenomatosis of the mammary gland are identified. Internal causes include hormonal imbalance (estrogen levels go off scale), the presence of pathologies (diseases of the ovaries, thyroid gland, liver, genital organs).
A disease such as fibroadenoma is provoked by the following: unfavorable environmental conditions, prolonged exposure to stress, nervous exhaustion, excessive use of tanning, frequent bathing in too hot water, chest injuries.
Other reasons due to which breast fibroadenoma can form are:
- numerous abortions;
- hormone therapy;
- incorrectly selected oral contraceptives.
According to some doctors, heredity can also be considered a factor due to which a benign tumor of the left breast or right breast may occur.
There is no concrete evidence, but there is an interesting fact - if a girl has cases of cancer in her family, there is a good chance that fibroadenoma will develop.
Diagnostic measures
If a woman or girl has any kind of lump, something hurts in the chest or does not bother you, but can be felt, this is a reason to go to the doctor. The specialist will tell you what fibroadenoma is, conduct an examination and refer you for tests.
Instrumental diagnostics include x-rays and ultrasound, then you need to take a blood test for hormones and material for cytology. The doctor evaluates the results, and if breast fibroadenoma is diagnosed, treatment is prescribed taking into account age, concomitant pathologies, and contraindications.
You can do without surgery in the following cases:
- if the patient is young, monitoring, medication and herbal medicine may be sufficient if an immature fibroadenoma is detected;
- if breast adenoma is detected during menopause, treatment is not required, since hormonal changes stop the growth of the tumor;
- if the tumor is small and does not progress, it is enough to undergo regular preventive examinations and take recommended medications;
- when there is no risk that cancer will develop.
The operation is necessary in the following cases:
- if the tumor hurts, grows quickly and can transform into sarcoma;
- severe cosmetic defect;
- at the request of the patient;
- pregnancy or planning pregnancy.
The tumor is removed surgically or through conditionally non-surgical treatment. The procedures are performed under local or general anesthesia.
There are two options for surgical intervention - sectoral resection (covers the tumor and healthy tissue by 2 cm) and enucleation (only fibroadenoma must be removed if there is no likelihood of cancer). Any treatment for breast fibroadenoma from the presented options involves examining tumor tissue in the laboratory.
Before treating breast fibroadenoma non-surgically, the doctor will have to choose which method is most effective in a particular case:
- cryodestruction (exposure to freezing);
- ablation (exposure to laser and ultrasound);
- mammotomy (removal of the seal with a probe);
- high frequency removal.
Rehabilitation period
A simple treatment option, among other operations, is surgery to remove fibroadenoma. The process lasts about an hour, there are practically no complications. Patients stay in the clinic for a couple of hours, in rare cases – up to 2 days.
After 12 days, the sutures are removed, and if a cosmetic suture was applied, it will dissolve on its own. The doctor tries to perform the operation in such a way as to minimize visual defects. During rehabilitation there is usually no pain. Over time, relapse or the appearance of a cyst is possible.
Treatment of fibroadenoma with folk remedies
An effective remedy for fibrous adenoma is a decoction of wormwood. To prepare it, you need to place 3 tsp in a bowl. herbs and pour a glass of boiling water over them. The decoction is infused for 2 hours, after which it is filtered.
Take the medicine twice a day - in the morning and in the afternoon, 1 tbsp. The course takes place in 2 stages, each 10 days, with a 5-day break between them. Externally, you can treat your breasts with flaxseed and thuja ointment. The product is rubbed into the chest with massaging movements twice a day.
Therapeutic ointment for the breast can be prepared at home. You need to take a glass of refined vegetable oil, a piece of yellow wax, and a chicken egg.
Heat the oil and wax in a saucepan, and when the mixture boils, stir in half the boiled egg yolk, boil and stir. Then the product is filtered and placed in the refrigerator. Apply a thin layer of ointment to the chest and leave for 3 hours. Course - 2 weeks.
Diet for breast tumors
For treatment to be effective, you need to follow all the doctor’s recommendations, including hygiene rules, adjusting your daily routine, don’t forget to get rid of bad habits and switch to a balanced diet in a timely manner.
There are no special prohibitions in the diet, but there are rules that will be useful for every woman, including those with fibroadenoma.
Nutrition rules:
- reduce the consumption of coffee and tea, consume more herbal infusions, compotes and jelly, fruit drinks and juices, green tea, and do not forget about clean water;
- introduce foods with vitamin E and iodine into the diet, enrich the menu with fruits and vegetables;
- fatty foods should be avoided, as they stimulate the production of steroids, and they provoke the growth of tumors;
- It is worth reducing the amount of flour products, semolina and sunflower oil;
- The menu welcomes such products as cabbage and fish, radishes, turnips;
- It is better to avoid legumes during treatment, as well as animal fats;
- Mustard, coriander, and nuts will give a good effect as seasonings for regular dishes.
The main factor for successful treatment is timely consultation with a doctor. Every disease at the beginning of its development is treated faster and easier. One can only envy those who take care of their health.
A manually detected knot in the chest is a good reason to conduct a full examination. Breast fibroadenoma is one of the types of benign neoplasms in which it is necessary to perform the entire scope of diagnostic studies in order to exclude oncology. The basis of successful treatment is organ-preserving surgery, which is guaranteed to rid a woman of a pathological formation in the breast.
A lump with clear contours in the mammary gland of a young woman, identified during examination, in most cases is a benign dishormonal neoplasm.
Fibroadenoma is a local proliferation of glandular tissue and connective tissue structures in the chest, occurring against the background of endocrine disorders. Typical age is 20-25 years and during perimenopause: in both cases, problems are caused by hormonal disorders associated with age-related changes in the body or pregnancy.
After examination and confirmation of the benign nature of the process, the tumor must be removed so as not to create conditions for complications and to prevent dangerous consequences. A mandatory element of diagnosis is a postoperative microscopic examination to exclude oncology.
Hello. I have a knot in my chest and am undergoing examination. Why does fibroadenoma in the mammary gland hurt? Irina, 25 years old.
Hello Irina. The small node does not cause pain. A large tumor puts pressure on tissues (vessels, nerves), causing nagging pain or discomfort. The presence of pain indicates a large size of the tumor and the need for surgical intervention.
Options for benign nodulation
An important factor in therapy is an accurate determination of the type of nodular mastopathy. Breast fibroadenoma can be:
- Leaf-shaped;
- Intracanalicular;
- Perikanalicular;
- Involutive.
The type of tumor determines treatment tactics and prognosis for recovery: in most cases, the tumor must be removed, but in some situations conservative treatment methods can be used. For each patient, the mammologist will select an individual treatment regimen.
Skeptics say that if you are diagnosed with breast fibroadenoma, treatment without surgery is impossible. But it all depends on the stage of development of the disease and the patient’s immunity. And there are many cases where a woman was able to cope with fibroadenoma without surgical intervention. But to do this, you need to regularly see a mammologist and pay attention to symptoms that signal pathological changes in the breast, so as not to trigger the disease.
How to determine if you have fibroadenoma
Breast fibroadenoma is a form of mastopathy, a mobile benign tumor. The reasons for its formation and development are different. In particular, these are hormonal disorders that can be caused by taking contraceptive medications, diseases of the endocrine system, and pathologies of the female reproductive organs. Men do not have such problems with their breasts, because... they do not have mammary glands (only mammary glands).
To be able to cure the disease without surgery, you need to know the signs of a developing tumor and be able to recognize them. It's not difficult: just regularly feel your breasts for lumps or balls. Any compaction should raise suspicion. When you press on them, pain may occur, which goes away when palpation is eliminated. If all this is present, you should contact a mammologist. The doctor will conduct a more complete diagnosis and prescribe an ultrasound, which in most cases helps to see the presence of fibroadenoma. If necessary, a biopsy is performed - tissue is taken for analysis through a small incision or puncture in the chest.
By the way! There is one everyday way to determine whether a formation is benign or malignant. A normal fibroadenoma moves when you press on it. Those. rolls around like a ball. But a cancerous tumor does not change its location. But the doctor still makes an accurate conclusion.
What types of breast fibroadenoma are there?
Types of fibroadenoma are usually classified according to the location of the growth.
Intracanalicular
This tumor has a loose consistency and lacks clear contours. It grows around the milk ducts, and also slightly into their lumens. It is difficult to get rid of intracanalicular fibroadenoma without surgery precisely because of its structure.
Pericanalicular
This type is characterized by a compacted consistency, clear contours and restriction from all nearby tissues. Localization: around the milk ducts. Because of the salt deposits, pericanalicular fibroadenoma is also called calcified fibroadenoma. If it is small, there is a chance to cope with the disease without surgery.
Phylloid
It has a lobed structure, for which it received another name - leaf-shaped. It is characterized by rapid growth and development, so it can develop into a malignant tumor. Requires immediate diagnosis (biopsy is required) and surgery.
How fast does the tumor grow?
The growth of fibroadenoma depends on various factors. Sometimes the tumor does not develop at all and does not bother its owner. This happens due to a single sharp hormonal surge. Those. fibroadenoma appears, then the woman’s condition returns to normal, and the swelling remains small and almost invisible (or even goes away). But if a serious disease of the endocrine system occurs, the tumor constantly grows due to constant hormonal changes.
Fibroadenoma is especially large and painful in the last days before menstruation. During this period, the breast becomes very dense, and the balls can be easily felt. The progressive growth of breast fibroadenoma can lead to the development of cancer. Therefore, it is impossible to cure a growing tumor without surgery. An intervention should be performed to radically remove the growing tissue.
Conservative treatment of breast fibroadenoma
The main method of conservative therapy is regular observation and hormonal control. Those. the patient regularly visits a doctor who monitors changes in the size and nature of the tumor and adjusts drug treatment. In addition to hormonal medications, a mammologist can also prescribe homeopathy, but the latter is aimed rather at symptomatic treatment (for example, eliminating chest pain).
There are several other techniques related to non-surgical methods for treating fibroadenoma. The first is cryoablation. The technique involves freezing the tumor and its further self-destruction. Second: laser ablation. It resembles surgical treatment, but due to the action of a laser, and not a surgical scalpel, the procedure is almost bloodless. Laser removal of fibroadenoma is considered one of the most effective.
The third conservative method of combating benign breast tumors is radiofrequency exposure. The procedure is carried out in a very original and unusual way. Special radio wave transmitters are inserted into the chest through small punctures, which make it possible to separate healthy cells from diseased ones. After this division, the tumor is removed, preserving the maximum amount of living tissue.
By the way! Surgical treatment of fibroadenoma is also recommended if a woman is planning a pregnancy. The tumor in the breast will begin to block the milk ducts, and the woman will not be able to breastfeed. There is also a risk of the formation of a malignant tumor due to the development of fibroadenoma against the background of hormonal changes.
Traditional medicine against fibroadenoma
Many women decide to get rid of fibroadenoma using the advice of traditional medicine. This can only be done with the doctor’s permission, otherwise you can worsen the situation and provoke tumor growth. Let's look at a few simple recipes for decoctions that you can use at home.
- Rose hips (50 g), St. John's wort leaves (50 g), pine buds (50 g), wormwood (25 g): all components are mixed in equal parts and boiled in two liters of water. Then the broth is infused overnight and filtered. Add 200 ml of cognac, 2 tsp. aloe juice and 500 g honey. It turns out to be a useful medicine that should be taken before dinner, 1 tbsp. every day for 1-2 months.
- Another useful collection: mint, valerian, hop cones. The components are taken in equal quantities, and 100 g of the mixture is boiled in a liter of water. Drink 100 ml twice a day for 1-2 months.
- If the development of fibroadenoma is provoked by a serious hormonal imbalance, a decoction of sage and mint (100 g of mixture per liter of water) will help level it out. Take 1 tbsp. three times a day for one cycle.
Treatment of breast fibroadenoma without surgery involves not only the use of traditional medicine recipes, but also the observance of simple precautionary rules. After all, there are factors that contribute to the growth and development of the tumor, so you need to try to prevent them so as not to impede recovery.
Namely, you should not sunbathe in direct sunlight (even in a closed swimsuit). Also, if you have fibroadenoma, you should not take hot baths or go to the sauna. And when playing sports you need to wear special supportive underwear. Avoiding stress and emotional stress will also be beneficial if you decide to treat a benign breast tumor without resorting to surgery.
This organ. Today we will talk about what breast fibroadenoma is.
The term comes from three words meaning fiber, gland and tumor. Fibroadenoma can develop in any gland, including the mammary gland.
This is a fairly common benign tumor. It begins to be detected in teenage girls; the incidence increases with age and reaches a maximum at the age of 30-40 years. Some scientists consider the pathology to be a nodal form of mastopathy.
Etiology of the disease
The causes of breast fibroadenoma are unknown. Some importance is attached to hormonal disorders, in particular, increased levels of female sex hormones - estrogens, but there is no exact confirmation of this. The following factors can provoke the development of a tumor:
- chest injuries, bruises;
- excessive insolation (tanning or visiting a solarium);
- premature termination of pregnancy;
- transferred ;
- mistakes during breastfeeding and its completion.
As a result of the action of an unknown factor, connective tissue cells and glandular structures that form the milk ducts begin to divide in the breast tissue. The cells retain their normal morphological characteristics, do not grow into surrounding organs, and do not metastasize.
Fibroadenoma can grow rapidly and have a soft consistency, in which case it is called immature. Such formations are more common in young girls. In women, mature fibroadenoma is more common - dense, surrounded by a capsule, practically not enlarging. The discovery of such a tumor at the age of over 40 years indicates its late diagnosis.
Symptoms
Most often, the pathology does not manifest itself at all. In some women, fibroadenoma hurts, this is due to concomitant mastopathy, which responds to hormonal fluctuations.
Symptoms of fibroadenoma of the mammary gland are determined by palpating it: in the upper outer quadrant, a small dense ball is felt, as if rolling into the tissue of the gland. The skin over it is not changed, there is no pain.
Although this formation does not bother the woman, if it appears, it is necessary to contact a gynecologist, surgeon or oncologist.
Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics
- This is a painless single node of dense consistency. It has clearly defined boundaries and a diameter of up to 3 cm. This tumor grows very slowly. The difference from cancer is the absence of decay and metastasis, that is, a benign course. Fibroadenoma does not have a true capsule, but during surgery it is easily removed (husked) from the breast tissue.
Multiple fibroadenomas are rare, and they are often gigantic in size. Such nodes can reach 20 cm in diameter.
If the knot is cut, it is seen that it has a gray-white color. It contains foci of calcification, hyalinosis (formation of cartilage tissue), and mucus. When examined under a microscope, it is clear that the adenoma consists of a connective tissue base and ducts of the mammary glands. Depending on the ratio of stroma and ducts, histological types of tumor are distinguished:
- intracanalicular - the expanding stroma compresses the glandular ducts, which turn into slit-like formations;
- pericanalicular - the gland ducts retain a rounded shape, they are surrounded by dense connective tissue, calcifications and calcification of the node are often formed.
Mixed type tumors are often found.
There is also such a thing as a leaf-shaped or phylloid tumor of the mammary gland. It usually arises from an intracanalicular tumor.
Leaf fibroadenoma differs in the structure of its base - the stroma. It has dividing cells that form layered structures that resemble leaves.
Found in women over 40 years of age. It grows quickly, often occupying most of the volume of the mammary gland; often recurs after surgical treatment. This formation tends to become malignant when dividing stromal cells undergo transformation. Degeneration of a phyllodes tumor into cancer is observed in 10% of cases.
1. The tumor stroma is represented by loose fibrous tissue
2. Glandular tubes are compressed by the stroma
Diagnostics
In most cases, the pathology is determined by the woman herself or her sexual partner by palpation (feeling) of the mammary gland. Fibroadenoma feels like a dense, smooth, painless node, quite mobile, that is, displaced relative to the skin. If such a symptom is detected, you should immediately contact a mammologist to rule out breast cancer.
The primary diagnostic methods are inspection, palpation and ultrasound examination of the mammary gland. Ultrasound usually clearly shows signs that can be used to preliminarily distinguish fibroadenoma from cancer.
It should be said that fibroadenoma with blood flow determined using ultrasound and Doppler sonography is a common condition. If the node exceeds 2 cm in size, blood flow in it can be determined in 75% of cases. Scientists have proven that the presence of blood flow in the node does not distinguish between fibroadenoma and breast cancer. In small nodules the blood supply is almost never determined.
Fibroadenoma can also be detected using. This X-ray examination is carried out annually on all women over 40 years of age as part of a medical examination of the population.
A puncture of the node is required, that is, it is punctured with a special needle and biopsy material is taken. The resulting tissue sample is examined under a microscope to rule out malignant degeneration. A more modern and accurate diagnostic method is trephine biopsy. It allows you to obtain several small “cylinders” from different parts of the tumor and make a more reliable diagnosis. Histological examination completely confirms the disease.
Treatment
Treatment of breast fibroadenoma is almost always performed surgically. Only with very small nodes (up to 5 mm in diameter) can observation be continued. The question of whether or not to remove breast fibroadenoma is decided by the doctor after examination, hormone tests, ultrasound examination and tissue biopsy.
Is it necessary to remove fibroadenoma before or during a planned pregnancy? The combination of conditions such as fibroadenoma and pregnancy can lead to malignant degeneration of the tumor. If this does not happen, difficulties may arise during breastfeeding, especially with large nodules or multiple nodes: milk will flow poorly through the milk ducts, and mastitis will also occur.
Therefore, it is advisable to remove the formation as early as possible, mainly at the planning stage. If the tumor grows rapidly during pregnancy, less traumatic interventions will be preferable. However, the question of the extent of the operation, especially during pregnancy, is not decided immediately, but only after observation and examination by several specialists. If the size of the node is small and there is no suspicion of cancer, surgical treatment is postponed and carried out after the birth of the child and completion of breastfeeding.
Contraindications for removal:
- fever and infectious diseases;
- cancer and other serious illnesses;
- woman's reluctance to undergo surgical treatment;
- blood clotting disorders, high degrees of arterial hypertension, poorly compensated diabetes mellitus and other conditions, after correction of which surgery becomes possible.
Surgery and rehabilitation
Surgery to remove breast fibroadenoma can be performed in two fundamentally different ways:
- enucleation (husking) – removal of only the nodule itself through a small incision near the nipple;
- sectoral resection - removal of the tumor with surrounding tissues in the form of a sector of the gland, most often performed when malignant transformation is suspected.
Depending on the volume, surgery is performed using local or intravenous anesthesia. It lasts about an hour. After removing the tumor, cosmetic sutures are applied to the skin, which allows you to achieve a good external result.
If the node is located superficially and there is confidence in its benign quality, it is possible to remove breast fibroadenoma with a laser . This is a low-traumatic operation, accompanied by rapid tissue healing and a good cosmetic effect. In addition to laser therapy, radio wave therapy can be used.
The postoperative period proceeds without complications, the woman does not experience pain. The patient usually leaves the hospital on the same day or the next day after the intervention, the sutures are removed after a week. A histological examination of the removed material under a microscope is required to exclude a cancer process.
Rehabilitation after removal of fibroadenoma includes a mandatory consultation with a gynecologist. It is advisable to increase the content of animal protein and vegetables in your diet, and avoid fatty foods and allergens (chocolate, citrus fruits, eggs). It is necessary to normalize weight and increase physical activity. Sometimes a consultation with a psychotherapist is required to help a woman understand her illness and cope with its consequences, especially with a large volume of surgery.
If a lump remains after removal, you should consult a doctor again. This may be a sign of suppuration of the mammary gland, the growth of a malignant tumor, or occur as a result of scarring of the suture. In any case, a thorough examination by a specialist is necessary, preferably the doctor who performed the operation.
Small scar after fibroadenoma removal:
1. after surgery
2. a month later
Forecast
When surgically removed, the tumor practically does not recur. Can fibroadenoma develop into cancer? This possibility exists, although the likelihood of malignant degeneration is low. Some doctors deny this possibility altogether, others talk about a 20-50% probability. The risk is especially high with the leaf-shaped form of fibroadenoma. The answer to the question whether a tumor can resolve without treatment depends on many conditions. More often, immature fibroadenomas in girls resolve on their own after the final establishment of the menstrual cycle. In mature women, such a tumor will not go away without treatment, but will slowly increase in size.
Prevention
Since the true causes of the disease are unknown, there are no specific preventive measures. To prevent the development of tumor processes, it is recommended to eat well, avoid strong emotional shocks and chronic nervous strain, and protect your mammary glands from bruises. It is recommended to limit visits to the solarium and natural tanning during the daytime.
It is important to periodically perform breast self-examination. It is performed by a woman in front of a mirror 7-10 days after the start of menstruation, when the mammary gland is painless. Pay attention to the symmetry of the glands, the surface of the skin, the supraclavicular and axillary areas, the areola and the nipple. Then the entire gland is superficially probed in a spiral or radially outward from the center. After this, a deeper palpation of the entire gland tissue is carried out. It is convenient to do this by lubricating your hands with cream or lotion. You can conduct a self-examination of the glands in the shower, after soaping your skin. The main thing is to do this regularly. This measure will help to recognize both fibroadenoma and malignant processes in time.
It is necessary to promptly treat all gynecological diseases, including menstrual irregularities and. It is known that with these diseases the likelihood of developing fibroadenoma increases. Thus, regular visits to the gynecologist and self-examination become the key to a woman’s health.
