fibroadenoma confusion, please help.

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chrissyiw
chrissyiw Member Posts: 2
edited December 2014 in Benign Breast Conditions

Hi, new to this group so hoping someone can explain a few things for me. I found a lump about 4 years ago i found the lump just as i was due to go for my routine mamogram I mentioned it to the nurse at the time, a few weeks later the letter arrived to say nothing suspicious had been found, I wasnt too happy as that gave me no explanantion as to what the lump was, I went back to my doctor who was aslo concerned and got me an appointment at the breast clinic which came through quickly I had a biopsy done and it was confirmed it was a fibroadenoma (benign tumour). had to go back a couple of years later to have a couple of cysts drained and while there had the lump checked it hadnt changed in anyway so fine nothing to worry about.

now another couple of years on I have just been again as about 3 weeks ago I started getting a lot of pain in my breast where the lump is and also up into my armpit and front of shoulder, have had another mamogram ultrasound & biopsy as although the lump hasn't grown it is in the words of the doctor "less defined". the two doctors that dealt with me felt it is nothing to be concerned about but I am. can a benign tumour change to something else what does the term less "defined mean" and what is this awful dull ache in my breast and arm all the time? I am 55 and going through the change.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited November 2014

    Hi Chrissy, Sorry that you haven't heard from anyone with regards to your questions Weekends can be slow on the boards. Here is a link to some information on our site about fibroadenomas. Hope this offers some help. The Mods

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited December 2014

    Hi Chrissy,

    I don't know the answers to your questions but I can tell you about my experience with fibroadenoma. My cancer was found on routine mammogram, there was no lump, just a sort of "harder", painful spot that everyone had been telling me for years was "just a dense spot, nothing to worry about". Since the mammogram didn't pick it up until it was pretty big, my onc. sent me to get a PET scan before surgery just to make sure it wasn't anywhere else. The only thing that showed up was a spot on the other breast. So I had to go in for another biopsy. This was a very different experience from the first one. The doc said it looked benign, took several samples instead of just one, and they injected a tiny "clip" as they call it, a little marker that will show up on future mammograms. When the results came back it was indeed a fibroadenoma. They told me these are totally benign and they don't do anything about them other than keep an eye on it and compare future mammos to these, to make sure there's no change.

    I asked about the "clip" and they said its a way of marking the spot to say "we already biopsied this lump and it was benign", so if the lump is noticed in the future (I never could feel it) they would know not to worry about it. I said, that makes sense, but what if that spot turns into cancer later and you have marked it as "no concern"? They said no worries, that just doesn't happen.

    Hope that helps set your mind at ease.

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  • chrissyiw
    chrissyiw Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2014

    thanks jennie93. Il let you know what happens on wednesday. Im sure its fine.x

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