Breast fibroma
Breast fibroma is a benign neoplasm that develops in connective tissues and is caused by hormonal imbalance. The tumor is characterized by clearly defined borders, dense consistency and painlessness during palpation. Fibroma is not associated with the skin, so it has easy mobility. In some cases, usually before menstruation, there may be discomfort and a feeling of swelling in the chest area. During pregnancy, the tumor may increase.
The content of the article:
Classification of breast fibroma
Causes of breast fibroma
Symptoms of breast fibroma
Diagnosis of breast fibroma
Complications of breast fibroma
Treatment of breast fibroma
Treatment of breast fibroma with folk remedies
Prognosis for breast fibroma
Breast fibroma
Classification of breast fibroma
Fibroma is usually divided into diffuse fibroadenomatosis of the breast and fibroadenoma. In the first case, the fibrous tissue spreads along the inner surface of the breast, in the second it is localized in the connective tissue and has a spherical shape.
In addition, the fibroadenoma of the breast itself is classified according to the location and type of growth:
Leaf-shaped or phylloid (characterized by rapid growth and the ability to assume a malignant nature);
Interacanaliculatory (pathological tissue penetrates into the lumen of the ducts);
Pericanaliculatory (formation of pathological tissue around the ducts);
Mixed form: has signs of pericanalicular and interacanacular fibroadenoma.
Causes of breast fibroma
At the moment, no specific causes provoking the development of fibroma have been identified. Nevertheless, numerous observations show that the pathology develops against the background of a high index of the female sex hormone — estrogen. That is why the peak of the disease occurs at the age of 15 to 35 years.
Many doctors believe that they can contribute to the development of a benign breast tumor:
Uterine fibroadenoma;
Ovarian neoplasm;
Thyroid disease;
Liver diseases;
Frequent abortions;
Taking hormonal contraceptives;
Overweight.
Symptoms of breast fibroma
The manifestations of this disease do not have bright signs. However, a woman can detect a tumor on her own by probing the breast. Neoplasms can be single or multiple, they are easily detected by palpation along clearly defined boundaries. As a rule, fibroadenoma is located in the upper lobe of the breast and never grows in the periarticular zone. Usually the tumor is found only in one breast, but sometimes (in 10% of cases) fibroma can affect both mammary glands. The size of the seal ranges from a few millimeters to seven centimeters.
A woman, having found a tumor, should immediately contact a specialist, only he will make a final diagnosis and prescribe competent treatment.
Diagnosis of breast fibroma
The mammologist performs a step-by-step examination:
Clinical examination;
Breast palpation;
Ultrasound examination;
Mammography;
Fine needle puncture biopsy.
Ultrasound allows you to assess the consistency of the tumor: hollow, liquid filling or compacted.
Mammography — X-ray of the mammary glands is performed in two projections in order to determine the location of the neoplasm, the size, prevalence and nature of the seal.
A fine-needle fibroma biopsy studies the nature of the tumor — benign or malignant. In some cases, if there are doubts about determining the form of the disease, a thick-needle puncture biopsy may be indicated. However, the final diagnosis for the presence of cancer is made only after the removal of the neoplasm.
When describing the type of breast fibroma, a differential diagnosis is made, indicating the following pathologies:
Breast cancer;
Breast cyst;
Cystadenopapilloma (formation of ugly lobules in the lumen of the cyst).
Complications of breast fibroma
Despite the fact that complications are observed quite rarely, it is worth considering the possibility of a rapid increase in the size of the tumor and its development into a cancerous form. That is why, at the first detection of seals, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will conduct a detailed examination and prescribe the necessary prescriptions.
Treatment of breast fibroma
After a detailed examination by a specialist, treatment is prescribed, which may be therapeutic or surgical in nature. The choice of method depends on the size of the tumor.
In cases where the fibroma does not exceed 8 mm, a course of drug therapy is recommended. Usually, the treatment lasts about six months, with mandatory ultrasound observation. But even if a woman strictly follows all the doctor’s prescriptions, the fact of complete resorption of the tumor is extremely rare.
If the neoplasm is large or drug therapy has not yielded positive results, then a surgical operation is prescribed, which is performed in a hospital. Surgical intervention is also indicated if a malignant breast tumor is suspected.
Surgical operation to remove fibroids can be performed in two ways: sectorial removal and enucleation of the tumor. The first method is used in the presence of cancer cells detected by biopsy. In this case, the tumor is cut out along with the adjacent tissue. On the seventh day, the stitches are removed. With professionally performed sectoral surgery to remove fibroadenoma, there are practically no visible traces on the chest. Sutures on the mammary gland are applied by intradermal cosmetic method, after removal and complete healing, they become almost invisible. The postoperative period is quite painless.
Enucleation is performed under local anesthesia and implies excision of a benign tumor formation directly. After such a surgical intervention, long-term treatment in a hospital is not required.
In both the first and second cases, excised pathological tissue is sent for histological examination to confirm or exclude malignant formation.
Treatment of breast fibroma with folk remedies
The use of traditional medicine methods is indicated only in combination with drug therapy of fibroadenoma and only on the recommendation of a mammologist. A specialist can recommend herbal tinctures from licorice root, wheatgrass, marshmallow, chamomile flowers, fennel fruits. Also, aloe juice, chaga, honey, decoctions of wormwood, St. John’s wort, yarrow, fir cones can be used in the treatment of the disease. However, it is worth warning those women who prefer only traditional medicine: in no case do not neglect medical treatment. By giving preference to phytotherapy, a woman risks losing precious time, starting the disease up to the development of a malignant form.
Prognosis for breast fibroma
After undergoing therapeutic or surgical treatment of fibroadenoma, the prognosis is mostly favorable. Nevertheless, you should know that even after a successful cure, there is a risk of a neoplasm in the other breast.
In order to prevent the disease, women are recommended to visit a mammologist regularly and examine the mammary glands with ultrasound and mammography.
