Fibroadenomas are the most common benign tumors of the breast. They form as a result of excessive new formation of breast and glandular tissue. As a rule, younger women are affected. Below you will find further information on causes, symptoms and treatment as well as specialists for fibroadenomas.
Fibroadenomas are caused by the excessive formation of new breast and glandular tissue. Depending on which tissue component is more dominant, doctors differentiate between adenomas (glandular tissue) and fibromas (connective tissue). The good news is that neither fibroadenomas, nor adenomas or fibromas are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. As nodular fibroadenomas cannot be diagnosed with certainty from the outside, women with palpable lumps in the breast should always consult a specialist gynecology practice for imaging and have the findings clarified.
Fibroadenomas often occur in younger women between the ages of 20 and 30. These lumps, which are around 1.5 to 2 centimetres in size, often grow very slowly and rarely degenerate. What causes this increased formation of new connective or glandular tissue in the breast is still not fully understood.
It is very likely that hormonal changes in a woman's body lead to excessive cell growth in the breast. There is often an imbalance between progesterone and oestrogens. Other possible causes that are currently being discussed could be
Fibroadenomas usually appear as small, painless, freely movable indurations within the breast. They usually grow at a younger age due to the influence of hormones. After the menopause, fibroadenomas usually shrink accordingly.
Fibroadenomas do not usually cause any problems and are often an incidental finding in mammography or breast examinations. These slow-growing, benign breast tumors are usually monitored regularly and only rarely surgically removed.
The starting point for diagnosis is the medical history. In particular, this involves the perceived increase in size of the fibroadenoma and any known family history. This is usually followed by a physical examination. This includes a bilateral breast examination to detect the lumps by palpation.
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Ultrasound and mammography, on the other hand, are suitable imaging techniques for visualizing lumps within the breast. In cases where it is unclear whether the fibroadenoma is benign or malignant, specialists can arrange for a biopsy to obtain a small tissue sample to clarify the situation.
The good news is that in most cases fibroadenomas do not require any treatment at all and are therefore rarely operated on. Asymptomatic, often young women should havetheir fibroadenomas checked regularly - initially after three months, then at longer but regular intervals.
Important: The monthly self-examination by palpation of both breasts is an important means of early detection for women in the intervals between check-ups with the doctor.
In very rare cases, however, surgery may be necessary. The method of choice here is open surgery on the affected breast. Doctors can perform surgery for the following indications:
Without treatment, there is usually no deterioration in the general quality of life of women, even over a period of years. Between 30 and 50 percent of fibroadenomas remain constant or even become smaller again with increasing age.
Lumps in the breast are often also a psychological problem for the women affected - the fear of breast cancer is therefore very high. However, fibroadenomas only have a low risk of degeneration. Less than 0.2 percent of fibroadenomas become malignant between the ages of 40 and 60.
Gynecologists are responsible for the breast and its benign diseases, which also include fibroadenomas. In addition to these specialists in gynecology, surgeons may also be involved in rare cases.
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