Fibradenoma

2GIRLSII

I have a fibroadenoma that was never palpable. My last mammo (a couple of months ago) showed no change to it. But now I feel it. At least what I feel is where they said the fibradenoma has been. It doesn't feel to be much different in size (as far I as I can tell) from the size they said it was. I have appointment for breast exam in a couple of months and figurge I'd  show the Dr. then. Now I am wondering if I should just put a call in to let them know I can now feel it? I don't know. I was told they don't turn into cancer so would it really matter that I can now feel it? Am high risk. Thanks for any thoughts.

leaf

Fibroadenomas can grow in size, sometimes quite rapidly.

The mass enlarged rapidly with each menses and showed a 50% increase in volume four months later.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18841338

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1620840

dee1961

Hi 2girlsII,

I also had a fibroenoma that was biopsied many times over a ten year period, it was removed finally last year due to finding calcs inside of it. The BS had never seen before, but I had cancer right inside of the fibrodenoma. IMO I would advise to have it removed. I have also read that fibros can increase the risk of BC or be a sign that other things are going on inside the breast. Here is a link to others that have had this issue as well. Good luck to you.

You will have to copy and paste

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/47/topic/747541?page=1

cp418

Ditto the above posts.  I had a large fibroadenoma removed age 19, then age 49 IDC in the same breast.

2GIRLSII

Wow. okay I did not realize some these things. Dee and CP, so sorry to hear that things took a turn for the worse for some. I pretty much had it in my head this thing is a total "nothing" and always would be. It sounds like chances are it will be, BUT from what you ladies show me you never know.

Dee I didn't realize they would even biopsy it again knowing already what it is. So it's possible they could do another core needle to check it out again. Had no idea that is a possibility. Can you say what prompted them to keep doing biopsies on the same thing?

Well, I will be sure to discuss all this with Dr when I go in.

dee1961

Hi Girls,

Mine kept changing, getting larger and more painful which prompted the biopsies. The doctor (Gyno) wasn't that worried because he knew it was a fibroadenoma. I was the one that insisted on keeping it in check and even asked to have it removed, the doctor said that I was being overly paranoid. I mean, who goes against what  their doctors tell them? I never did until I just had the gut feeling something was wrong. Then the calcifications happened and I wasn't about to have another biopsy and demanded they take it out. You know the rest. I am in no way saying that this will happen to you, just making you aware that it can happen. Good luck to you.

alligans

Hi 2GIRLSII!  You and I are in the same boat.  I posted something similar because in May of 09 I was diagnosed with a fibroadenoma.  I was totally freaked at first because I was convinced that I had some kind of cancer due to a slightly high calcium test in January 09.  I started searching and searching every little inch of my body checking for lumps, bumps, and anything to worry about.  My calcium had long since returned to normal but I got obsessed over 1 bad test.  I was convinced that it could not be due to breast cancer due to my age, 32 at the time.  However, in May I decided to do my first ever self breast exam.  I had no idea what I was looking for.  I just followed the directions.  The first time I didn't find anything to worry me but I was still obsessing about that stupid calcium tests months earlier.  The second time I found a different set of directions that told me to squeeze my nipple.  Sure enough a tiny bit of fluid came out which freaked me out.  I immediately linked the calcium test to the fluid and ran to my doctor.  I got a mammo and ultrasound.  I was told that I had a nodule in my breast (1.6 cm).  I went to my doctor's office in tears knowing that the blood test and indicative that this was cancer.  However, after my doctor calmed me down she showed me the radiologist's report that the nodule looked like a fibroadenoma, a very common thing for younger women.  I had a core biopsy and watched the radiologist performing it like a hawk to make sure he got a good sample (I saw the whole thing on the ultrasound screen.  The radiologist told me that I was the first person to ever watch it like that).  Anyway, the pathology came back as fibroadenoma changes (a different version of fibroadenoma but I don't remember the correct spelling).  I googled and googled and googled and decided to see a breast surgeon just to make sure that a specialist agreed with everything.  I went to Stony Brook University where they have a well known breast clinic.  The told me to send over my pathology slides to make sure it was done correctly.  I saw the surgeon.  He looked at my mammo and ultrasound images and reports.  He looked over the original pathology report and the new one and agreed that I too have a fibroadenoma.  I had lots of questions and also did lots of reading.  If you google the right terminology you'll get let to medical textbooks.  I did a lot of real medical reading (the stuff doctors read) and agreed with the surgeon.  I'm on a watch now.  Every 6 months I get an ultrasound and see the surgeon.  He said that I'll eventually get ultrasounds once a year. I'm also going to request mammos every year after I turn 35.  My plan is this:  see the surgeon every 6 months, check myself monthly (I can't feel the fibroadenoma and neither can anyone else), and check the discharge monthly to make sure it stays the same color.  The surgeon said that this is a variant of normal as did my OBGYN.  If I'm told that I need another biopsy I will have it removed.  If it grows or changes I will also get it removed.  I wont get another core because I had a lot of pain and still get pain during the second half of my cycle which is something that I never had before the biopsy. I don't think the tumor is something new.  It's most likely been there for years and years.  To me, a core biopsy is just as painful as an excisional due to the pain that I had, but most people don't get this. 

 I basically got 6 medical opinions (2 pathologists, 3 breast specializing radiologists...and 2 technicians as well, and a breast surgeon).  The images match the pathology and as far as I know I do not have any genetic link to breast cancer (negative family history for breast and other BRCA associated cancers). 

One thing we have to remember is that this is a breast cancer message board so most of the people on here have or had in the past breast cancer.  Many benign condition can thus be linked to breast cancer on here.  As you can see there are some women on here who if they had not checked themselves vigilantly or insisted on removal their cancer would had been detected at a later stage.  However, from everything that I've read and been told via various sources, the majority of the time fibroadenomas are completely benign.  There is a minority of the time that they are linked to a breast malignancy, however, this is the exception rather than the rule.  I'm not sure of your age or past mammos, but if you are older than 40 and have had previous negative mammos then you may want removal as fibroadenomas usually grow during a period of breast changes.  They are part of a normal variant and are very common in younger people.  However, I think a new one found in anyone over 40 is potentially a red flag that needs to be removed.  Fibroadenomas rarely (yes, sometimes they do grown and are benign) grow in older women. 

 Unless you insist to have it removed or if having it in you causes you stress, you need to exam  yourself monthly and follow-up with a breast surgeon.  Get yourself on a 6 month plan.  You may even want your slides to be looked at my another pathologist just to be sure that everything matches up (symptoms, images, pathology, and medical opinions).  I'm not sure about the higher cancer risk category.  In my mind, I say yes but unless it's a complex fibroadenoma (there are certain cells found that cause pathologists to label fibroadenomas as complex) the medical opinion is no.  From what I've read, complex fibroadenomas always put you in a higher risk category, although minimally higher. 

Get a copy of your pathology report and check for words such as hyperplasia and atypical as these are always red flags. 

 My advice, get a second opinion as breast tumors are nothing to mess around with.  If you are 40 or older and/or if this is something that is definitely new and you're older than 35 (you'll know this if you've had previous mammos) then get rid of it.  Also, don't ignore or forget about the tumor.  Check up on it monthly.  If you detect grown, if it becomes immobile, if you get a swollen lymp node in your armpit, or if its shape changes see a breast surgeon ASAP.  You should also be under the care of a breast surgeon who can do a clinical exam and check your breasts for any visible abnormalities (dimpling, color changes, changes in your nipple, changes in breast size, etc.).  For at least 2 years, fibroadenomas should be monitored every 6 months.  If they are stable, I believe you get an annual check-up at that point. 

 One additional note, when I went for my 6 month follow-up I had my ultrasound on Monday and my surgeon's appointment on Wednesday.  I was given the all clear from the radiologist to return to yearly mammos when I turn 40.  I thought this meant not to come back until I'm 40 so I cancelled my suregon's appointment.  After much thinking I decided waiting 7 years wasn't acceptable to me and that I wanted this thing checked yearly if not every 6 months.  I rescheduled the appointment and as told that I  misunderstood the radiologist.  I am to return to yearly screening mammos when I'm 40 but I still need to see the surgeon about the fibroadenoma on some sort of schedule. 

2GIRLSII

Hi Dee.Thanks for response. Very helpful. Boy, what a story! I fully understand where you are coming from. Just giving a heads up that something like that CAN happen though quite unlikely. I am so sorry to hear that happened to you! Thank goodness you went with your gut and advocated for yourself. I would think many people might feel as you did after being poked over the same damn thing so many times. After mine was first found, I didn't think much of it as it was sooo benign. I just skipped out of the doctors office! Nothing indicating a change since then, so never thought much of it. In fact, forgot where they said it was until I now felt it. . I am not even certain what I am feeling is much of a change. I just know neither my Dr. nor I could feel it when first found. and now I can. Thanks for confirming that I need to make Dr. aware of it.

2GIRLSII

Hi Allegans,

My goodness what an ordeal you have been through over your fibrodenoma! I can't believe all I am learning on this board in such a short period of time. I didn't even know they would re-read pathology slides over something deemed a benign fibroadema. You are quite a wealth of information. You have given me much info to digest and I do appreciate it. I hope the rest of your follow ups go well!