Does removing a tumor remove the risk factor?

alligans · March 2011

I usually respond to others on this board regarding their fibroadenomas. I have done so much reading on this subject that it borders obsessive. My breast surgeon has me on a 1 year follow-up schedule. The last time my fibroadenoma was imaged was a year ago. This summer when I last saw the breast surgeon, he told me that the tumor hasn't changed and that I no longer need ultrasounds until I hit 40. I wasn't too happy with this but I knew that if I asked my OB, she'd send me for an ultrasound. I plan on taking her up on this offer next week. I'm 34.

I'm having issues with my father's recent passing from stage 4 colon cancer and this has reignited my fear of this fibroadenoma. According to my original core needle pathology, I have fibroadenomatoid changes with focal PASH and gynecomastia-like changes. No atypia was found. The fibroadenoma was confirmed by a second pathologist associated with my breast surgeon. I know that fibroadenomas are benign and I know that there is confusion in the medical world about if this really raises my risk factor for developing breast cancer. The breast surgeon says that I have fibrocystic breasts which I think is common for my age group.

Due to the epithelial cell component of this tumor, my question is this:

Does removing the fibroadenoma remove the slight risk factor that exists or will this risk factor still exist even with removal of the tumor? Basically, is having the fibroadenoma and the existence of these genetically mutated cells in my breast raise my overall risk because I have these cells in me or am I just more at risk because my breast produced genetically mutated cells? (No family history of BC or gynecological cancer...just my dad's colon cancer).

I know that the breast surgeon would be the person to ask this question to but I don't see him until August and since I don't have breast cancer I don't want to start playing phone tag with him since he barely knows me. Anyone know about this crazy genetic stuff?

mdoak · March 2011

Hey there,

I have a million fibroadenomas. Ok, so that's maybe an exaggeration Smile . I had nine removed in my twenties, and I am now 41 with more fibroadenomas than they bother to count. Seriously--they just follow the biggest ones. I have been told by two breast surgeons and a nationally-known radiologist that the fibroadenomas themselves do not increase my risk of breast cancer. I did have one biopsy come back with ADH -- which of course increases my risk -- and I think my extremely dense breasts, which can harbor all of those fibroadenomas, greatly increases my risk. The fibroadenomas themselves do not, however.

It sounds to me like you will not stop worrying until you have the fibroadenoma removed. Have you asked to have it removed? They normally will do it for your peace of mind.

greenfrog · March 2011

I had a benign lump 12 years ago. It was removed with a lumpectomy and I had no further treatment. 10 years later I got breast cancer - the tumour appeared under the small scar of the "benign" lump. It was regarded by my surgeon as a kind of recurrence because in her view the original problem hadn't been dealt with properly all those years ago. That is just my experience and not at all common I imagine. When I had the mastectomy to remove the breast with cancer in it they found fibroadenomas as well as the IDC. When I had the other breast removed a year later (to balance me up) there was no sign of any unusual tissues benign or otherwise. In my mind any kind of unusal breast tissue is a risk.

My sincere condolences on the loss of your father.

alligans · March 2011

Thank you Ladies!

Mdoak - I have thought about having it removed. I tried to discuss this with my breast surgeon but his nurse cut me off when I started discussing my concerns and reiterated her point. If I wasn't so anxious about being examed by him then I probably would of told her to keep her mouth shut unless she's discussing her own health with him. I plan on opening up this discussion again and now know what to say to her if she opens her mouth again. She has to be in the room with him since he does a clinical breast exam. I really do not want to go under full anesthesia and would rather deal with the "mental" issues of being awake during a lumpectomy rather than the risk of full anesthesia for something that they are sure is benign. I dealth with a very painful core biopsy so I think I can deal with "twilight" anesthesia. Do they do that with this kind of procedure? When I had a colonoscopy I was put to sleep but it wasn't full anesthesia. I woke up the second after the colonoscopy was done.

My husband doesn't want me to have an unecessary surgery do to this risk of complications (not breast complications...infections, pain, etc.) but I don't always do what he wants me to do anyway so this really is no different.

Greenfrog - Thank you for the condolences and thank you for the information. That is exactly what I worry about. In my mind I feel that if my body can make a benign tumor, what's to stop it from proceeding ahead to make the malignant tumor. I know that there is minimal risk of this happening in the "medical journal" world but this is my life...for real. I have read from 2 other women on here that their breast cancer was found either in the margins of the fibroadenoma or that the fibroadenoma was surrounding the tumor.

mdoak · March 2011

alligans, both times I had excisional biopsies I did not have general anesthesia. And that was for excisionals that were getting several lumps at a time, some by tunneling underneath my breast tissue. eergh. Anyway, they did a twilight thing, there was an anesthesiologist there, and I hardly remember a thing. I had a friend who had a lumpectomy and watched the entire thing happen on a screen. It completely can be done.

Good luck to you.

Does removing a tumor remove the risk factor?

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