Complications of fibroadenoma

Firm lumps of defined shape are usually fibroadenomas. They can be smooth, hard or rubbery and move under the skin when a person touches them. In most cases, fibroadenomas don’t cause any pain and their size is similar to a marble. Many women have fibroadenoma in the breasts, especially younger women. Although these lumps are not painful, they could grow in size during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Women with fibroadenomas should report any change in the feel or size of these lumps to their doctors.Fibroadenoma Symptoms and Complications

As mentioned, fibroadenoma are firm lumps, often found in young women’s breasts. These solid masses are painless and can be easily moved when touched. In most cases, fibroadenomas are of round shape and have distinctive borders, while they feel firm or rubbery.

A person may have just one or several fibroadenomas in the breasts. These lumps are about size and feel of a marble in most patients (about one inch or 2.5cm in diameter). However, it is possible to have larger fibroadenomas and those bigger than 2inches or 5cm in diameter are known as giant fibroadenomas. Additionally, some hard lumps in the breasts may develop during teen age. These so-called juvenile fibroadenomas grow very fast and some of them are quite big, being about 4inches or 10cm in diameter.

Lumps in the breasts should be reported to your doctor in order to get checked. Every woman should be especially careful about newly found lumps in the breasts, or those which appear to grow bigger or change in any way. All these changes require consultation with the doctor. You should know that fibroadenomas usually don’t increase the risk of development of breast cancers, unless it is complex fibroadenoma. Complex fibroadenomas in the breasts contain certain bits and cysts of tissue known as calcifications and they are associated with slightly increased risk of breast cancer.

Treatment of Fibroadenomas

Fibroadenomas could be treated non-surgically or surgically, while some lumps don’t require any therapy whatsoever.

Non-surgical management is recommended in case when the lumps in your breast or breasts are not breast cancer. Women sometimes avoid surgery simply because some lumps may shrink or completely disappear and other times they could appear to be stable.

Surgical removal of fibroadenoma, called excisional biopsy or lumpectomy, is recommended if some performed tests happen to have abnormal results. However, having a lumpectomy doesn’t guarantee that there won’t be some new lumps in the breasts that should be removed.