Fibroadenoma in the Breast

Updated on September 23, 2011
R.W. asks from Aurora, CO
6 answers

Ladies,

Have any of you ever had a fibroadenoma? I am 33 and they say they are very common and 90% of the time are benign. They just need to biopsy it or remove it to have confirmation it is benign. I am trying to decide between a biopsy or surgical removal. I am leaning towards skipping the biopsy and just having the darn thing taken out. I have several reasons for picking surgery. I just don't want a foreign thing left in my body that could eventually cause problems. It is the same price copay wise to have it biopsied or just removed with surgery. They say they tend to continue to grow larger and can actually start blocking future mamograms. They also can grow larger and have to be removed down the road anyways. They say a biopsy is not 100% guaranted to rule out malignancy so they would have to monitor it over time. Why not just take it out is my thought. Do any of you have experience with this decision or reasons why a biopsy might be better? Thank you for your help.

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T.M.

answers from Reading on

I have had several benign lumps removed from my breasts. I agree with all of your reasoning and for those same reasons decided to go for complete removal. The last two I had done were no big deal, I didn't even have to go under. Mine weren't considered to be fibroadenoma's they were more like suspicious lumps of tissue that they needed to confirm were benign, but are treated the same way as a fibroadenoma.
Don't stress too much, just get it done and over with for peace of mind!

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G.T.

answers from Redding on

I've never heard of it myself, but I'm with you and would rather just have it removed.

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M.M.

answers from Lake Charles on

Get it removed. They found what they thought was ONE in me, except the way it showed up on the scan it wasn't perfectly round which is one indicator it isn't benign.. so they said "We'll go in to surgery and do a biopsy, then remove it" Good thing they did too.. it ended up being TWO benign tumors and what he basically told me was that had I not had it removed by the time I was 24 it would be the size of a baseball... I was 18 at the time and, combined, they were the size of a golf ball.. He said if I didn't want it removed every time I had any time of mammogram everyone would freak out until they realize what it was. There is no reason in my mind why anyone would just pick biopsy and leave it in.

Added: And I have never ever heard a doc say that a fibroadenoma could go away on it's own.. pretty sure I was told just the opposite.

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K.*.

answers from Los Angeles on

I had one when I was 24. It was so scary when I found the lump and was going through all of that. I ended getting a biopsy with benign results AND it resolved on it's own. So, your doctor said that fibroadenoma's are 90% benign, or that lumps in breasts were...I ask because fibroadenomas are always noncancerous. A biopsy WILL be sufficient as long as they can get a decent sample. Sometimes the fibro is very hard and they have to remove it or cut a sample for the lab. Most of the time they can get a good sample for the biopsy. Again, mine went away on it's and there are no signs of having it...I get annual mammos for piece of mind.
Good luck to you!

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J.M.

answers from Denver on

I had/still have a fibroadenoma that I found about 10 years ago. I had it biopsied to confirm that it was a fibroadenoma. (Also had ultrasound) It is the approximate size of a skittle and has never grown. I've never had any more appear. I do wish however that I had had it removed at the time of discovery. That way it would be easier to detect anything new. I'm faithful and have an annual mammogram. We know it's there and just keep an eye on it.

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H.D.

answers from Dallas on

I've had two removed myself. I still have two more in me that have never got larger, one actually shrank after starting birth control. The two that are still there I've had ultrasounds done on but so far my doctor has not seen a reason to cut up my breasts further. They don't bug me, don't hurt, are small anyway but I definitely keep an eye on them. If you just have the one, go ahead and have it removed is my opinion. It's a same day surgery (in most cases) and really quick. I was back to work the next day and at a party that weekend. I just had to be careful that no one would bump me too hard or that did hurt a little.

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