Breast adenomas are benign tumors that typically occur in young women and can change in size and shape over time. They are usually discovered as a lump during a self-exam or mammogram and are not typically painful. Surgery may be necessary if the tumor grows and changes the surrounding tissue, but most tumors do not require surgery.
A breast adenoma, also known as a fibroadenoma, is a benign tumor that forms in the breast tissue of women. This noncancerous growth is most often seen in young women who have not yet gone through menopause and can change size and shape over the years. To diagnose the condition, tests similar to those used to diagnose breast cancer are typically used, as tumors can look and feel the same.
When a woman develops a breast adenoma, a single tumor usually develops in one breast. Sometimes there may be more than one, but they are usually similar in size and may not be in the same breast. The only symptom is usually the discovery of a lump when you do a routine self-exam or get a mammogram, as it typically doesn’t cause pain. Most women who develop these benign tumors do so when they are in their 20s and 30s.
The typical lump is a few centimeters in diameter, but can grow if a woman becomes pregnant. The lumps are usually spherical and tend to move freely within the breast tissue when pressed. The existence of a breast adenoma is not a precursor to the development of breast cancer, although this condition has been found to indicate a slightly higher risk of developing malignancies later in life. Complex breast adenoma, which occurs when more than one tumor is present, may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer, while a single benign tumor has not been found to correlate with an increased risk of other health complications .
These lumps rarely form in women who have gone through menopause. Because breast adenomas are more common in younger women and the lumps can change during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the growth of these tumors is suspected to be linked to the production of hormones in the reproductive system. Some women have found that the size of the tumors decreases with age, although they usually do not disappear completely.
If a tumor associated with your breast adenoma continues to grow, you may need surgery to remove it. This is generally only done in cases where the tumor is growing enough to change the shape and texture of the surrounding tissue, and this does not mean that the tumor has become cancerous. Because surgery can damage or scar healthy tissue, it is usually performed only after a thorough examination by a doctor who has determined that it is the best alternative. Many tumors, however, will not grow as large and will not require surgery.
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