Growth of breast fibroadenoma. The main reasons for the development of fibroadenoma in the breast. Compatibility with IVF and pregnancy

There is probably no other diagnosis that women are so afraid of and begin to suspect in themselves as easily as cancer. At the slightest imbalance in the functioning of the body, the symptoms of an “oncological disease” are detected immediately. And if a neoplasm really appeared in the chest, then other options are not even considered.

However, practice shows that most of the detected tumors are benign and are well treated. Fibroadenoma of the mammary gland also belongs to benign tumors.

What is breast fibroadenoma, species classification

Fibroadenoma is a benign hormone-dependent breast tumor. The disease is confirmed in young women under the age of 30, as well as in women over the age of 40. The tumor consists of connective and glandular tissue cells, with a size of 1 to 6 cm.

It is necessary to distinguish between a cyst (symptom fibrocystic mastopathy) and breast fibroadenoma. A cyst is a manifestation of a dishormonal disorder of the body, in which the correction is carried out with the help of drugs, fibroadenoma is a benign tumor, and it can only be cured by surgery.

Fibroadenomas are classified into:

intracanalicular (proliferation of connective tissue is directed into the lumen of the milk ducts);
pericanalicular (tissue grows around the milk ducts);
mixed (there is a combination of signs of the first two types);
phyllodes (leaf-like), which have a layered structure, grow quite rapidly and are prone to malignant degeneration.

World experience in the study of fibroadenoma has reliably confirmed that this type of benign tumor does not degenerate into cancer. Only phyllodes fibroadenomas are susceptible to pathological changes, which can develop into sarcoma (no more than 10% of patients).

Symptoms

There are no external changes with a small size of fibroadenoma. Patients can find the seal themselves, which feels like a ball, movable and with a smooth surface. The tumor is localized mainly in the upper outer part of the chest.

Can fibroadenoma hurt? No, the tumor does not cause physical discomfort to the woman and is painless on palpation. Unpleasant sensations, burning in the chest - the characteristic properties of the cyst.

The disease is often detected by the doctor during the next examination. And only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis after studying the anamnesis and conducting additional examinations.

Basic diagnostic methods

Reduce the risk of disease proper nutrition, weight control, favorable psycho-emotional background.

Recurrence of the disease is possible (in approximately 15-20% of cases), since the removal of fibroadenoma does not eliminate the causes of the appearance of the tumor, but fights its consequences.

Remember that a neoplasm in the mammary gland is not a sentence, and certainly not fatal diagnosis. In most cases, after the examination, a benign nature of the tumor is established.

Fibroadenoma of the mammary gland is distinguished by painlessness, dense structure and rounded shape, mobility during palpation. Conservative treatment for this diagnosis is ineffective, the only way to get rid of the disease is by surgery. The reappearance of the tumor occurs in no more than 20% of patients.

Year by year, the number of people who are diagnosed with various neoplasms in the body is increasing. They are divided into benign tumors, which rarely pose a serious threat to life, and oncological pathologies. In women, pathologies of the mammary glands are increasingly being detected. One of the most popular is fibroadenoma.

Fibroadenoma - what is it?

Fibroadenoma is a benign neoplasm of glandular and connective tissues. Pathology can affect various areas female body: skin, tendons, chest, internal organs, in particular the uterus, ovaries. In the vast majority of cases, this pathology is diagnosed for the mammary glands.

Within the framework of diseases according to ICD-10, which pass under the code N60 (benign dysplasia of the mammary glands), fibroadenoma is not listed. She was assigned the code - D24. The transfer of this adenoma to another category is due to the fact that it is perceived as a pathology based on neoplasia. This class (D24) within the ICD-10 characterizes non-cancerous tumors in the breast.

It is this form of neoplasms of a non-cancerous variant that occurs most often than all others. Fibroadenoma accounts for more than 8% of all diagnoses. At the same time, pathology can be detected at almost any age, but there are separate “risk groups” for which the chance of a neoplasm is very high.

"Risk groups" for the development of a benign tumor:

age period from 12 to 20 years (juvenile adenomas and immature neoplasms);
women under the age of 30 (mature adenomas);
menopause (mature fibroadenomas).

What is this neoplasm?

- a seal in the chest, often occurring on one side in the upper part of the gland. The disease is attributed to one of the manifestations of such a pathology as nodular. To the touch, the tumor is elastic, smooth. Unlike oncological pathology, fibroadenoma is mobile, since it is not attached to the skin. When touched, there is almost never pain.

This benign formation can be of different sizes. The most common adenomas are small, about 3-8 millimeters in diameter. But there are exceptions when the fibroadenoma reaches 15 centimeters or grows over the entire surface of the mammary gland, becoming noticeable. Both protrusion of the subcutaneous “ball” and visual deformation of the breast, an increase in its size in relation to the second healthy mammary gland, can be noted.

Most often, breast fibroadenoma is a single nodular seal in one breast. Less often, several "balls" are noted, even more rarely - neoplasms are diagnosed in both breasts.

The development of pathology is impossible to predict. In one case, the neoplasm will not progress, but breast fibroadenoma can very rarely resolve on its own. In another embodiment, the growth of the tumor occurs catastrophically fast. And such a case especially requires medical intervention.

Types of fibroadenoma of the breast

It is possible to subdivide a pathological neoplasm both into types and into forms.

There are two options for forms:

immature form- characteristic of "juvenile fibroadenomas" that occur in adolescence and youth; distinguishing feature– the absence of an external capsule in the tumor; it is this difference in some cases that suggests the possibility of eliminating the formation without surgical intervention;
mature form- this variant of fibroadenoma is diagnosed after 20 years, less often - during the period (in most cases, it is believed that only young women are affected by fibroadenoma); the main feature is the presence of an outer shell in the neoplasm, which is immune to drug, homeopathic or herbal treatment.

By type of pathology is divided into:

nodular;
leaf-shaped.

Nodular options include:

pericanacular fibroadenoma of the mammary gland (deformation of the connective tissues near the glandular ducts);
intracanacular (ingrowth of connective tissues into the glandular ducts);
a mixed form that combines the symptoms of the first two options.

Under leaf-shaped fibroadenoma imply a neoplasm that is able to increase in size at a high rate, while there is a risk of developing sarcoma. In structure, the tumor consists of several layers, similar to leaves. This form of breast adenoma is rare, but it requires very quick intervention by doctors. And it is characterized by only one form of treatment - surgical correction.

If variants of nodular fibroadenomas develop at any age, especially characteristic of young women, then leaf-shaped fibroadenoma is more often diagnosed at the time of menopause, at the age of 40-50 years.

Symptoms of the disease

Breast fibroadenoma can be attributed to insidious pathologies due to the fact that it has no external manifestations. Developing, it does not leave an imprint on well-being in the form of temperature, pain. Often, a neoplasm is detected in women by chance: either during self-probing, or during a routine examination by a doctor, or in a situation where a woman goes to the clinic for another reason.

It is easy to identify an adenoma in the case when the size of the tumor is large enough. Then the main sign is a "bump" on the chest, which can be moved with the fingers, but this "ball" does not change its location when changing the position of the body.

You can notice the symptoms of breast fibroadenoma if its localization is the area next to the nipple. Then, in addition to a palpable elastic seal, there may be the following symptoms:

the appearance of sores, cracks on the nipple and next to it;
a clear, odorless liquid;
soreness when touched.

When a benign formation changes to a malignant one (sarcoma), the following symptoms may be added:

the skin above and near the tumor does not change its temperature, but may become reddish or pale cyanotic;
an enlarged neoplasm is visible to the naked eye.

At the time of critical days and during pregnancy, there may be swelling of the breast in the area of the tumor, minor pain, a feeling of internal heaviness or fullness. However, such symptoms cannot be considered objective, they are individual and do not always indicate breast fibroadenoma.

When self-examining the breast at home, attention is drawn to the main signs of fibroadenoma, which are its characteristics.

The seal is round or oval.
No or displacement of the "knot" to the side.
It feels like the formation is non-liquid, but, on the contrary, dense, elastic, not loose and with a clear shape.
It is not noted when examining changes in the skin in terms of color, temperature, structure.

Reasons for the formation of a benign tumor

The insidiousness of the disease lies in determining the cause of the occurrence. Physicians have not yet identified a clear root cause of the pathology. However, there are hypothetical grounds that provoke the development of fibroadenoma. They can be conditionally divided into external and internal.

Internal causes of breast adenoma

, in which the amount of estrogen significantly exceeds the allowable rate. This can also be observed during pregnancy, during puberty.
The presence of various kinds of pathological conditions:
- liver disease;
- diseases endocrine system, thyroid gland;
- pathology of the ovaries and adrenal glands;
- problems with the pituitary gland;
- diabetes mellitus, obesity;
- gynecological problems of various forms, including menstrual irregularities.

External causes

Bad ecology.
Nervous tension or exhaustion.
Regular or severe stress.
Passion for solarium and prolonged exposure to the sun.
Frequent showers or baths with a temperature exceeding 37.5 degrees.
Breast injury, improper massage or heat exposure.

The grounds that can provoke the occurrence of pathology also include:

hormone therapy;
frequent abortions;
incorrect or irregular intake of oral contraceptives or the presence of a hormonal intrauterine device;
incorrectly selected oral contraceptives;
lack of pregnancy (the reason for the occurrence of fibroadenoma during menopause).

Some physicians tend to argue that hereditary causes also play a role. However, there is no concrete evidence that the tendency to like this is transmitted at the genetic level. The only caveat: the occurrence of fibroadenomas can be observed in women in whose family there were cancer patients. Most often, in such cases, leaf-shaped fibroadenoma is diagnosed.

The process of diagnosing a disease

The diagnosis is made in several stages.

Visual examination by a doctor, palpation process, general collection of information (anamnesis).
Ultrasound, x-ray (mammography).
Taking blood tests to detect hormonal indicators.
Biopsy.
Cytological examination of tissues.

Based on the data obtained from all the procedures and studies performed, the doctor draws up a plan for treatment and correction of the condition. The need for surgery is assessed individually.

Remove or not: reasons for different treatment options

The patient cannot make an independent decision on the removal of fibroadenoma. This decision is made after discussion with the doctor.

In what cases is treatment without surgery acceptable?

Firstly, in young patients. Carrying out constant monitoring, the appointment of a concomitant drug effect in combination with phytotherapy is permissible in the case of immature fibroadenoma.

Secondly, at the time of menopause. In this case, the adenoma slows down or completely stops its growth. Without postponing a negative imprint on the patient's health, she does not require surgical correction.

Thirdly, when the fibroadenoma is small and there is no progressive development. With this option, as in the case of juvenile adenomas, constant monitoring by a doctor is necessary (scheduled examinations in each season of the year) with tests and ultrasound.

Fourth, in a situation where there is no suspicion of the development of oncological pathology.

To remove fibroadenoma of the mammary gland is necessary:

with its rapid growth, suspicion of transformation into sarcoma, especially when there is heredity for the development of cancer;
an existing or planned pregnancy, otherwise, increasing in size under the influence of estrogen, fibroadenoma can harm the health of the expectant mother, and also provoke the inability to breastfeed the baby;
external cosmetic defect;
at the direct request of the patient.

Treatment: surgical and conditionally non-surgical

These forms of correction of the condition are carried out in clinics. Often, either local or general anesthesia is used.

Surgical intervention

sectoral resection. It is this type of operation that is necessary for leaf-shaped fibroadenoma. With this surgical intervention, not only the neoplasm itself is removed, but nearby tissues (2-3 cm) are also captured.
Enucleation. A similar form of operation is chosen in the absence of suspicion of a malignant formation. Only the seal is removed, without the capture of other tissues.

In both cases, after the operation, a detailed examination of the tumor is mandatory in order to exclude its malignant basis.

Conditionally non-surgical treatment

It assumes the absence of direct surgical intervention. However, the presence of a skin incision is not always excluded.

Cryodestruction (tumor freezing).
Mammotomy (probe insertion into the seal).
Laser intervention (ablation) - the destruction of the neoplasm with the help of a laser and ultrasound.
High-frequency removal of fibroadenoma.

Recovery postoperative period

The operation on the mammary gland due to the occurrence of fibroadenoma is considered the simplest among other surgical interventions.

The procedure takes no more than an hour. Complications after removal almost never occur. Bed rest is not required. The patient stays in the hospital for only a few hours, less often - up to two days.

The sutures are removed after 9-12 days. In a situation with the use of a cosmetic suture, it resolves on its own. Visual defects usually do not remain, the only exception is the removal of too large an adenoma.

V postoperative period a woman usually does not experience any pain.

However, doctors note the risk of recurrence of the disease even after removal of the tumor. In addition, the appearance of cysts is possible.

Additional Treatment Options for Breast Fibroadenoma

In a situation where the patient does not want to undergo surgery, and there is no health risk, substitution therapy can be selected. A treatment plan is drawn up individually, based on the condition and anamnesis. Therefore, self-medication is contraindicated.

If there are suspicions that the adenoma has arisen under the influence of disturbances in the functioning of the internal organs, then a mandatory examination is carried out, and after the treatment of the disease.

If you are overweight, you should visit a nutritionist and carry out a diet correction in order to get rid of obesity, if it did not arise under the influence of a malfunction in the hormonal sphere.

In some cases, herbal treatment may be additionally prescribed, and it is also permissible to use other recipes from traditional medicine. But it is worth remembering that such options should not be leading in the treatment of breast fibroadenoma.

During the period of conservative therapy, regular monitoring of the development and condition of the tumor is mandatory. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, the neoplasm does not resolve, does not decrease in size, but may delay its growth. And due to this, doctors recognize non-operative treatment attempts as useless.

Traditional medicine and diet for breast fibroadenoma

As part of herbal medicine and traditional medicine, adenoma can be treated with:

tinctures: fennel, chamomile, wormwood, yarrow, juniper;
walnut (infusion on vodka for oral administration);
aloe juice;
pine buds;
honey.

There is no strict diet for such a diagnosis. But it is worth highlighting the basic rules of nutrition, which should be based on:

refusal of alcohol, cigarettes; it is better to reduce the amount of tea and coffee consumed per day;
add more fresh fruits, vegetables, foods high in vitamin E, iodine to the diet;
exclude very fatty foods that provoke the production of steroids in the body, which can worsen the condition;
give preference to green tea without additives, as well as fresh juices, fruit drinks, mousses;
the presence in the diet of sunflower oil in large quantities, semolina and products made from premium flour is undesirable;
fish, turnips, radishes and cabbage, in particular sea cabbage, should be in the diet constantly;
remove legumes from the diet to the maximum: peas, beans, directly beans;
add nutmeg, mustard and coriander to the usual dishes;
remove animal fats from the diet.

Fibroadenoma of the breast is a common disease, but this diagnosis often does not imply a threat to life. At the slightest suspicion, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because the disease is especially successfully treated in the early stages.

Causes of the disease

Doctors still cannot identify the unambiguous cause of the disease. But they are convinced that in most cases this happens due to a serious hormonal failure.

Other reasons are as follows:

severe stress;
severe psychological or physical stress;
thyroid disease;
ovarian diseases;
diabetes;
obesity;
use of contraceptives at a young age;
heredity.

Symptoms and diagnosis of the disease

Signs of a fibroadenoma may not always be immediately noticeable because the tumor is painless. It can only be detected by probing the chest.

Fibroadenoma is a seal that has a round or oval shape. It is not fixed to the tissue and may move slightly when probed.

Diameter may vary. Small neoplasms are not visually determined. The disease will become visible only if it is a case with a large tumor, about 6 centimeters.

As a rule, one breast is affected. But a small percentage reveals the defeat of both breasts. An accurate diagnosis should be made by a doctor who conducts the following studies:

breast ultrasound;
biopsy - for this analysis, a small sample of tumor tissue is taken;
histology - analysis of a tissue sample, which provides information about the form of the disease and the degree of tissue damage;
mammography - X-ray of the breast.

Rebirth into cancer

Doctors assure that in the vast majority of cases, fibroadenoma does not develop into a cancerous tumor. There are several types of fibroadenomas:

pericanalicular - has a dense texture and is separated from body tissues;
intracanalicular - differs from the previous one in a looser consistency and fuzzy contours;
phylloidal.

The last variety is the most dangerous. It can lead to the formation of a malignant tumor (sarcoma or cancer). Such cases are rare, but they do happen. With this type, the tumor grows very quickly and reaches large sizes (up to 10 centimeters).

Criteria for breast cancer

Breast cancer may initially appear as a lump, usually painful, so it can be assumed that it is, or fibroadenoma.

But there are some other signs of a serious illness that can be detected when probing the chest:

deformation with visible asymmetry;
peeling, erosion of the nipples;
discharge that may be bloody;
redness;
the formation of a subcutaneous layer similar to cellulite;
pain in the armpit.

To distinguish a malignant tumor from a benign one, you should contact a specialist for a thorough examination.

How can a tumor be removed?

The tumor will not go away on its own, but it can be removed in several ways.

The operation can be performed under general or local anesthesia. either with nearby tissues if cancer is suspected, or just the lump itself.

With the help of a laser, the tumor is removed due to the action of ultrasonic waves. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia.

Fibroadenoma of the mammary gland is one of the types of nodular mastopathy, which is formed as a result of violations of the human endocrine system and is a local growth in the mammary gland of a woman.

Fibroadenoma - what is it?

Fibroadenoma of the mammary gland is a neoplasm that forms in the upper part of the breast of a woman. This neoplasm is most often benign and is most common among women going through menopause. It is worth noting that the neoplasm begins to appear in adolescent girls, increases over time, and after 30 years reaches its maximum size. The main reasons for such changes can be hormonal disorders in a woman's body associated with pregnancy or age-related changes.

There are cases when diffuse fibroadenomatosis may be confused with fibroadenoma. You should know that diffuse fibroadenomatosis is a set of small seals that violate the structure of one or both mammary glands.

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The main causes of tumor formation

The exact cause of fibroadenoma formation has not been established. Specialists pay special attention to hormonal disorders, namely to the level of estrogen in a woman's body. But, it cannot be said that they are the main reason.

There are a number of factors that can cause the development of a tumor:

Improper breastfeeding;
Trauma and damage to the chest;
Abortion, premature termination of pregnancy;
Excessive visits to solariums and a strong tan;
Transferred mastitis.

The most well-known causes of fibroadenoma formation are:

Emotional overstrain and severe negative stress;
Athyreosis of the ovaries, neoplasms in the ovaries;
The formation of cysts in the mammary glands;
Increased production of hormones characteristic of tumor growth;
Hormonal failure in the body of a woman.

How to detect fibroadenoma?

There are a number of characteristic signs with which a woman can independently check for the presence of a neoplasm:

The presence of one or several nodules at once;
The node may move during palpation;
Clear defined contours, smooth surface.
Uniform structure;
The size of the nodules can vary from 1 mm. up to 70 mm.

In the case of self-palpation, a woman can feel a dense ball of a small size in the region of the upper outer quadrant of the mammary gland. Usually, the skin over the neoplasm does not change and pain is not felt.

This pathology may remain undetected for quite a long time, since it does not manifest itself in any way. If a woman feels pain in the area of fibroadenoma, this indicates the presence of mastopathy, which responds to hormonal fluctuations.

Fibroadenoma can be detected: with palpation, with an external examination by a mammologist, with ultrasound and x-rays, as well as with a biopsy for the likelihood of cancerous degeneration.

If education does not interfere with life in any way, a woman must necessarily contact a specialist (surgeon, gynecologist or oncologist) as soon as she discovers it.

This tumor may not be quite dense and small, and also change in size. In such cases, it is called immature, and it mainly occurs in women more young age. In the case when the detected tumor is dense and practically does not change in size, then it is mature and is mainly diagnosed in older women.

Fibroadenoma can be found both on the left and right sides, and in both mammary glands. In the latter case, the risk of the tumor developing into a malignant one is doubled. If the neoplasm is small, then it will not cause any pain syndromes. Well, if pain is present, this indicates that the tumor is large. In such cases, it compresses the vessels, resulting in discomfort and pain.

Fibroadenoma can grow and transform, especially during periods when hormonal changes occur in women: lactation, menopause, pregnancy, abortion. To avoid undesirable consequences, and not to create favorable conditions for, rebirth and growth, a benign tumor must be removed. And also to hand over the material for research, in order to exclude oncology.

Varieties of nodular mastopathy and their characteristics

There are four types of nodular mastopathy:

TO characteristic features this type of mastopathy include:

Peculiar structure (layered);
High risk of developing into a malignant tumor (in 10% of cases);
Feeling of pain syndromes;
A rapid increase in size;
Manifestations of various pathologies;
Often connections with others gynecological diseases such as cyst, infertility, fibroids.

Also, leaf-shaped fibroadenoma has peculiar signs with which it can be easily distinguished from other types of tumors, these are:

Heterogeneous structure;
Blue-purple color of the skin in the area of the tumor (in the process of increasing the nodule, the skin stretches and becomes thinner, as a result of which the color changes);
It consists of several plexuses, outwardly resembling leaves.

In cases where the tumor noticeably increases in size, in a short period of time, the specialist can safely say that this is a phyllodes fibroadenoma. It is at the stage when fibrocystic mastopathy becomes leaf-shaped that it reaches the highest level of probability of developing from benign to malignant sarcoma. According to statistics, such changes are observed in 10 cases out of 100. In such cases, it requires immediate surgical intervention and removal.

Treatment Methods

Can fibroadenoma be cured? The possibility of treating fibroadenoma depends entirely on the behavior of the neoplasm, on the level of risk of malignancy, on the type of tumor and its response to drug treatment.

Basically, such types of neoplasms as fibroadenoma are removed surgically. In the event that the size of the neoplasm is very small (up to about 5 mm), the specialist doctor may decide to continue monitoring without surgery. But this decision is made only after a series of studies, such as: biopsy, ultrasound, hormonal level check and examination by a mammologist.

Removing a fibroadenoma cannot guarantee that it will not reappear. The key to a successful cure can be the exact determination of the causative agent of this neoplasm and its elimination. As a rule, these are various diseases in internal organs person.

It is worth noting that a fibroadenoma detected during a woman's pregnancy will in no way affect the development of the embryo. Pregnancy can cause malignancy of the tumor, in connection with this, the removal of fibroadenoma is mandatory. If the size of the node is small, and the suspicion of cancer is excluded, then the operation is postponed to a later date, and it is performed after childbirth and the end of breastfeeding.

In cases where, during the period of gestation, the fibroadenoma rapidly increases in size, specialists can decide on a low-traumatic intervention. How difficult the operation will be and the question of the urgency of its implementation is decided after examining several specialists.

In the presence of a tumor, the milky tracts of the mammary gland of a woman are completely blocked, breastfeeding becomes impossible, resulting in lactostasis and inflammation of the breast (i.e. mastitis). Thus, the most appropriate is the removal of the tumor, even at the stage of pregnancy planning.

The tumor cannot be removed if:

The presence of oncological and other serious diseases;
Diabetes mellitus, blood clotting disorders;
high blood pressure;
Various infectious diseases, as well as fever.

In such cases, the operation becomes possible after the correction of the patient's condition.

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1 method of treatment: medication

In cases where the size of the fibronodular formation is not more than 10 mm. and it does not progress, drug treatment is carried out, which can cause the resorption of the tumor.

Medication refers to the use of:

With fibroadenomatosis, constant monitoring of tumor growth, ultrasound and examination by a mammologist are necessary.

When the presence of not one, but several fibroadenomas is diagnosed, then in order to increase the effectiveness of medications, drugs with anti-estrogen action, choleretic drugs and vitamin A are added to the treatment, which have a positive effect on breast tissue and reduce estrogen production.

Most prescriptions for medical breast exclude immunostimulants. There are cases when a woman takes adaptogens on her own, which in no case should be done, since active biological products encourage the neoplasm to grow.

main goal drug treatment fibroadenomas is the normalization of hormonal balance and body weight, which are directly related to disorders in this area.

2 way of treatment: surgical

Surgery for fibroadenomatosis is inevitable if:

Fibroadenoma refers to the leaf-shaped type;
The size of the tumor is more than 20mm;
The patient is planning a pregnancy
Suspect oncology;
The neoplasm is growing rapidly;
Voluntary desire of the patient.

There are 2 types of surgery:

Removal of affected tissues with a capsule (enucleation), scars as a result of such an operation practically do not remain;
Sectoral resection (excision of part of the gland along with the tumor);

In the above operations, anesthesia is used, in cases where high-tech methods are used, anesthesia is not done or local anesthesia is used.

In order to exclude or confirm tissue malignancy, after the operation, the resulting material must be sent for histological examination.

The duration of both operations is from 30 to 60 minutes. Patients are under observation for up to 24 hours. The sutures are removed 5-10 days after the operation.

3 way of treatment: non-operable

If the disease was diagnosed at an early stage, a non-operable method of removing fibroadenoma is allowed.
There are 4 such ways:

All 4 methods are less traumatic, there are practically no scars left after them, and the risk of blood loss is minimal.

How to distinguish a cyst from a fibroadenoma?

When probing, the cyst is very easy to confuse with fibroadenoma.

A cyst can be distinguished by several signs:

By density (a cyst, unlike a node, is softly elastic);
The presence of pain pain syndrome occurs with large cystic neoplasms);
Ultrasound indicators (the structure of the cystic tumor is hyperechoic);
Hormonal changes in the body. The cause of occurrence can be: endocrine disorders, pregnancy, abortion.

An accurate diagnosis can be established by a specialist doctor after all research methods have been carried out, therefore it is very important to identify the type of tumor in the mammary gland even at the preoperative stage.

Currently, more and more breast diseases are registered among women of different ages. Perhaps this is due to the unfavorable environmental situation, and perhaps with an improvement in the diagnosis of such conditions, with the alertness and awareness of the female regarding breast cancer.

Most breast diseases are benign tumors, among which breast fibroadenoma is the most common. It is this education that women discover in themselves most often.

What is fibroadenoma and fibroadenomatosis?

Fibroadenoma is a benign formation in the mammary gland (tumor), is one of the forms that most often develops against the background of hormonal imbalance in the body.

This tumor consists of the glandular tissue of the breast and connective tissue, and with a significant

A characteristic feature of this tumor is that it occurs exclusively in adolescents and young women, which proves the connection between education and hormonal changes in the body. the dominance of the latter.

Why the neoplasm grows is not exactly known. As already mentioned, the relationship between morbidity and dyshormonal disorders has been shown.

Many people confuse fibroadenoma and fibroadenomatosis of the mammary gland. These are completely different diseases. Fibroadenomatosis is not a tumor, but a fibrocystic disease or diffuse mastopathy.

Fibrocystic mastopathy is a benign disease of the mammary glands, which is caused by hormonal imbalance in the female body. At the same time, cystic multiple small formations and fibrous bands develop in the glandular tissue of the breast. This disease affects many women after 30 years of age, and is characterized by soreness (especially before menstruation).

bleeding).

What is a fibroadenoma?

The main symptoms of breast fibroadenoma:

develops mainly in adolescents, girls and young women;
the size of the formation may be different, there is no change in size depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle;
the tumor is painless, with palpation there is also no strong pain;
the rate of tumor growth is difficult to predict - in some it grows quickly, and in some it does not increase at all;
palpable in the thickness of the breast tissue, as a densely elastic, smooth, rounded knot, mobile and not associated with the skin;
the lesion is usually unilateral;
is located most often in the upper outer quadrant of the chest;
sometimes, if the formation is large, it can be seen as a protrusion in the area of \u200b\u200bthe mammary gland;
single formations are more common, but there are also multiple ones.

In most cases, adenoma is diagnosed by the woman herself or is an accidental finding during preventive examinations.

What is the danger?

The first thing that interests a woman who has been diagnosed with fibroadenoma is how dangerous this disease is, what complications are possible and whether this benign tumor degenerates into breast cancer?

Small neoplasms do not pose a health hazard, they almost never degenerate into a malignant process, except for phyllodes fibroadenoma.

Phylloid or leaf-shaped fibroadenoma - This is a type of this disease, which is distinguished by the processes of proliferation of epithelial and connective tissue elements of the tumor, which carries a carcinogenic potential. The frequency of occurrence of such formation is 1-1.2% among all.

Leaf-shaped tumor of the breast is a difficult to diagnose disease with a tendency to intensive and rapid growth, recurrence after treatment, and malignant degeneration into sarcoma. The degeneration of such formations occurs in 3-5% of cases.

Another danger lies in the rapid growth of adenoma. Thus, it can reach a gigantic size and replace the entire glandular tissue of the mammary gland, deform it.

How to diagnose a benign tumor?

Most often, it is the patient who gropes for a knot in her chest. To clarify the diagnosis and choose further tactics, a consultation with a mammologist is necessary. To establish an accurate diagnosis and exclude a malignant formation, the doctor

will offer the following methods of examination:

examination and palpation of the mammary glands, peripheral lymph nodes;
mammography (X-ray examination of the breast), performed by women after 35 years of age, if there are indications, then it is possible earlier;
Breast ultrasound (often used in young women who cannot have a mammogram)
aspiration biopsy of the formation using a conventional syringe and needle for the morphological study of the biomaterial;
excisional biopsy of the formation under local anesthesia using a trephine biopsy apparatus allows obtaining material for histological examination and accurate diagnosis of the nature of the process.

The main task of a diagnostic search for a nodular formation in the chest is to determine which process caused the symptoms (malignant or benign), what further treatment tactics and prognosis of the disease.

Principles of treatment

True fibroadenomas (encapsulated) never resolve, they may only shrink slightly. Treatment of breast fibroadenoma, which has reached more than 1 cm in diameter, is only surgical.

Indications for surgery:

steady growth of the tumor;
medium and large sizes of education (from 1 to 3 and more than 3 cm in diameter);
at the stage of preparation for pregnancy;
lack of result from conservative treatment (only immature tumors in adolescents are amenable to such therapy);
suspicion of a leaf-shaped type of neoplasm;
the desire of the patient to get rid of a potential threat.

In all other cases, you can use expectant tactics and follow-up with a mammologist.

Removal of education is carried out by 2 methods. In most cases, enucleation is used (extraction of the tumor from its bed), while neighboring tissues do not suffer, which does not cause a significant cosmetic defect after the operation.

If a malignant process is suspected, a sectoral resection of the mammary gland is performed, after which most women are forced to resort to the services of a plastic surgeon to eliminate the tissue defect.

Treatment of breast fibroadenomatosis, unlike fibroadenoma, is mostly conservative. Appoint:

oral contraceptives;
progesterone preparations;
drugs that block the production of estrogen (very rarely, only with severe symptoms of hyperestrogenism);
multivitamins;
treatment of concomitant pathology;
homeopathic preparations.

FAQ

What to do if breast fibroadenoma is found during pregnancy?

As a rule, this disease is diagnosed before pregnancy. If at the stage of pregnancy planning you have an adenoma, then treatment of a benign breast tumor is mandatory.

The fact is that during pregnancy, this tumor behaves unpredictably. In the female body, significant hormonal changes occur, which also affects the tissue of the formation, which quickly begins to grow and can reach gigantic sizes.

If the tumor is detected during pregnancy, then the management tactics depends on the attending physician. The doctor may suggest surgical removal of the mass under local anesthesia to avoid possible complications.

If the tumor is not removed during pregnancy, then, as a rule, after the birth of the child, its size decreases (the influence of progesterone), but it never disappears.

What are the causes of fibroadenoma?

The exact reasons for the development of such a benign breast formation have not yet been identified. Factors that contribute to the disease include:

genetic predisposition;
hormonal imbalance of female sex hormones;
mental and physical overstrain;
chronic stress;
taking estrogen-containing drugs;
pregnancy;
diseases of the endocrine system;
puberty.

Is treatment possible without surgery?

There are two types of fibroadenoma depending on maturity:

mature formations . They have a dense connective tissue capsule, which contains the tumor itself. Due to this structure, they cannot disappear without surgical removal, they can decrease, yes, but not disappear.
Immature formations . They differ from the previous ones in the absence of a capsule, which makes it possible to completely regress the tumor even without surgery. More common in adolescence.

Accordingly, only immature fibroadenoma can be cured without surgery.