What is fibroadenoma of the breast

  Fibroadenoma of the breast, commonly known as fibroma or adenoma, is a mixed tumor of fibrous tissue and glandular epithelium that occurs in the lobules of the breast and is the most common type of benign breast tumor. Fibroadenoma of the breast can occur in women of any age after puberty, but it is more common in young women aged 18 to 25. The occurrence of this disease is related to endocrine hormone imbalance, such as relative or absolute elevation of estrogen can cause this disease. Fibroadenoma of the breast is usually clinically asymptomatic and is characterized by painless breast lumps, rarely accompanied by breast pain and nipple discharge. Adenomas are often solitary, but there are also multiple cases. Adenomas are round or ovoid in shape, with a diameter of 1 to 3 cm being more common, but there are also smaller or larger ones, and occasionally huge ones. The surface is smooth, the texture is tough, the boundary is clear, there is no adhesion with the skin and surrounding tissues, the mobility is large, and there is a sliding sensation when touched. The axillary lymph nodes are not enlarged. Most adenomas are not painful and do not have tenderness. The size and nature of the mass does not usually vary with the menstrual cycle. The lump usually grows slowly and can remain unchanged for several years, but can increase rapidly during pregnancy and lactation, and some may become sarcomatous at this time.  The only effective treatment for mammary fibroadenoma is surgery; in addition, there are also Chinese herbal treatments and other related etiological treatments. For example, if the adenoma is very small in unmarried women around 20 years old, it can be treated mainly by clinical observation and, if necessary, by Chinese herbal medicine; if the adenoma appears during pregnancy and lactation, the lump should be operated immediately if it grows rapidly; if the adenoma is newly found in women over 35 years old, especially after menopause, it should be removed immediately by surgery and examined by intraoperative frozen section; if the adenoma is found to have recently grown, it can be removed by surgery. If the adenoma continues to grow in the near future, surgery can be performed at an optional stage; if the adenoma is above 1 cm in a young married woman, surgery before pregnancy is advisable if she is preparing for pregnancy; in cases where the adenoma recurs in the same place after surgery, we should be alert to its malignancy and in principle, surgery should be performed immediately to remove it.  Special note: If a breast lump appears in women over 35 years old, especially after menopause, even if the lump resembles fibroadenoma in nature, texture and activity, the diagnosis should not be made lightly, and the diagnosis of other benign breast diseases such as fibroadenoma and cyst should be made after the possibility of breast cancer has been ruled out, and surgery should be preferred. It is very wrong to think that since adenomas are benign and rarely become malignant, there is no harm in not doing pathological examination.