Fibroadenoma – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Fibroadenoma – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Please note that some images may be disturbing.

Since I started following IMBB, I always thought I would like to contribute back something to IMBB for such lovely reviews and fantastic work u all are doing. I always thought of doing a review for my first article in IMBB but then I changed my mind. I would like to create awareness about fibroadenomas in women. God works in the most mysterious ways. I was never a serious kind of person and of course! By nature I was an ignorant and fun-loving teenager. I didn’t show any interest in participating in any awareness camps in college or join the Rotary club or NSS in my junior college. I always thought those clubs are boring and they suck all the social life out of you. But as Clarence Day said –Information’s pretty thin stuff unless mixed with experience. I was diagnosed with multiple fibroadenoma of the breast. Not many women know about this condition and hence I thought of sharing my experience and a little information about it .So here goes,


Fibroadenoma is a benign tumour containing fibrous tissues and glands. They just appear, but they should not cause you any fear or sleepless nights. Because they are benign, they will not cause you any problems when it comes to cancer. It is commonly found in breasts in women. It is estimated that out of every 10 women, 8 women are detected with fibroadenomas. These solid, smooth, firm and benign lumps are most commonly found in women in their late teens and early 20s. They are the most common benign lumps that occur in women and can occur in women of any age. Increasingly, they are being seen in postmenopausal women who are taking hormone replacement therapy. The painless lump feels rubbery and moves around freely and very often is found by the woman herself. They vary in size and can grow anywhere in the breast tissue.

Fibroadenoma
Fibroadenoma

Image Source

Now, these lumps can occur alone, in groups or as a complex. If you have multiple or complex fibroadenomas, this may raise your risk of breast cancer slightly. Hence it is very important that you self examine your breasts for presence of these lumps. While doing your regular breast self-exam, you may feel a breast fibroadenoma. These feel firm, round, smooth, rubbery, and are movable. While most physicians can recognize this type of lump simply by feeling it, generally, the diagnosis is confirmed by mammography or ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration. Sometimes, in very young women, the fibroadenoma is not removed if it is small, painless, remains the same size and a biopsy shows no problems. It is important that you keep a check on these tumours by having follow-up ultrasounds. However, since sometimes these tumors enlarge with pregnancy and breastfeeding, physicians may recommend surgically removing the fibroadenoma. Alternative treatments include removing the lump with a needle and destroying the lump without removing it (such as by freezing, in a process called cryoablation).

Fibroadenoma
Fibroadenoma

Image Source

Now to the important question – WHAT CAUSES THESE TUMOURS? The exact cause of fibroadenomas is unknown. They seem to be influenced by estrogen, because they appear most often in premenopausal or pregnant women, or in women who are postmenopausal and taking HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Most fibroadenomas come and go during your menstrual cycle, when your hormone levels are changing.

Fibroadenoma
Fibroadenoma

I was diagnosed with multiple fibroadenoma lumps one year ago. Since I had multiple lumps in both my breasts (5 to be more précise), I underwent surgical lumpectomy to get these tumours removed. I had my life changed because I thought” come on, I am 23 yrs old, supposed to be enjoying my college years when all of the sudden the lump I felt up is a TUMOUR and I am supposed to undergo operation to get it removed.” Anyways, after the operation and slow recovery the anxiety, pain and trauma are in the rear view mirror now. During my stay in the hospital I came across many women who were in the most advanced stages of breast cancer. One particular story that caught my attention was that of one teenager girl who had 11 fibroids removed at the tender age of 17 years. I did not get a chance of interacting with her since she just got discharged when I was admitted. I must admit we have live two lives- one is where we are ignorant and what we learn with and the next is the one we live after that. I recently had a follow-up check up done and the doctor diagnosed me that I m in pink of health. Phew!!!!!!! I do wish that this article creates some amount of awareness amongst us women. Lastly, I would recommend all the women to please perform regular breast self-exams and be sure to visit a doctor to undergo necessary body check-ups and breast screenings just to be sure.

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46 thoughts on “Fibroadenoma – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

  1. hi rids!
    hats off to u and cant thank u enuf
    i read every word carefully…. and was very happy to know that u feel great now
    take care of ur self and god bless
    extremely informative and such information keeps us rooted

    1. Rids, words are not enough to appreciate the article, a real eye-opener..and happy that you are one among the lucky few who diagnose such ailments well in time and get it treated, take care…Rati, great job dear, this would inspire others to come up with such useful posts in future.. :yes: :yes: :yes:

    2. thnks shyna neha and rati … … rati , i being A PhD student doing research in the field of science DID NOT KNW anything about such a thing … i guess there’s not enough awareness for us women here .. there are many womenly issues which we need to talk about here on the blog to create some amount of awareness. . .
      thank you all for appreciating … m perfectly fine now …

  2. Rids,

    Can’t thank you enough for this article. It’s amazingly useful article and would create a lot of awareness among women.

    I have three questions for you:

    1. How did you get to know that you have something like this in your body? I mean you don’t go to get yourself checked if you feel nothing abnormal in your body no?

    2. Is it a big operation or a smaller one?

    3. What are the charged for the operation? (round figure)

    1. hi rati … i would luv to answer your queries..

      firstly , I must admit I WAS A DAMN FOOL !!! i could feel the 1 lump in my body which i ignored and did not tell nyone about it … the rest 4 lumps I HAD NO IDEA THT THEY EXIST .. it was only when my breast cancer specialist diagonsed it were found. . . . ACTUALLY THT 1 LUMP could only be felt because it was struck to another lump . . .

      actually to the doctor its a minor surgery which minimal chances of any complications.

      and the rate of the operations depends on doctor to doctor… mine one charged me around 7000 bucks to remove one lump .. now if u have more than 5 lumps then they charge u arnd 3000 per lump … this expenses plus the charges all the tests and also for anaesthegeolist and charges for the bed costs u more … we did not hav to worry abt anything coz mediclaim paid for all the things
      🙂

  3. i appreciate ur courage dear:) , my mom also has the same problem , and i rem that was the first time i visited a cancer hospital in jaipur ,some 5 yrs back , now when i rem that i stil get scared , she have a small one and was asked to do regular checkups , i still rem going to doc for check ups they r horrifying , i appreciate ur post dear and wish you all the good luck sweetie 🙂

  4. Great article.Truly appreciated it.Most of the time we take our health for granted but one fine day our health takes revenge and then we remember the old saying ‘health is wealth’ and truly realize its essence.Anyway,thanks again.Articles like this make IMBB so special.

  5. 🙂 Hey Rids, you have brought to light such an important topic, which all of us take lightly. I know people suffering from fiberadenoma suffer from so much pain with the tumor growth, but to see the brighter side, fiberadenomas are curable and they respond to hormones and treatment. Good to know that you got all over it and are enjoying good health…… 🙂

  6. Rids,
    Thanks for writing such an informative and important article. I always feel that women end up putting everyone else first and neglecting themselves – maybe this will be a wake up call for a lot of us. :))

    Hats off to your courage :-*
    .-= ki.´s last blog ..Quick tips =-.

  7. Rids, I really appreciate you for writing an article on fibroadenoma. I was diagnosed with the same this year.The mental trauma you go through,till you come to know that its only fibroadenoma, and not breast cancer cannot be explained through words. As Neha said, you will definitely be rooted and know the amazing powers of the Almighty.

    Answering to Rati’s questions,

    1. How did you get to know that you have something like this in your body?

    Ans: Sometimes its accidental, for me at least. I noticed a gooseberry sized fibroid near the surface of my breast 2 years back, during bathing.I don’t remember exactly but I feel it was during one of my menstrual cycles that I found it as breast fibroids are more dominant (increase in size and pain) during your menstrual cycles.Myself and my husband were never brave enough to go for a surgery/medical examination.

    Then by this January,we gained courage to go for the medical examination.Like Rids mentioned in the article, my physician confirmed her diagnosis by ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration.To my surprise, I too was diagnosed with multiple fibroids (You might not feel all the fibroids by your hand.Fiborids are termed as “breast mouse” due to their mobile nature and may be that’s one of the reasons that you can’t feel the presence of multiple ones just by feeling your breasts.)

    The doctor suggested to remove them as they might grow during pregnancy or breast feeding. So I got my surgery done 5 months back.The doc said they removed the ones that looked dangerous and asked to do follow ups with ultra sounds once in 2 or 3 years.

    2. Is it a big operation or a smaller one?

    Ans : The surgery is a minor one. But if the fibroid is pretty big, they conduct the surgery under general anesthesia only.The surgery might take 20 mins to 30 mins time.
    I personally felt the pain immediately after the surgery quite unbearable. 😥 (This might change from person to person)

    3. What are the charges for the operation? (round figure)

    Ans: I had my surgery done in Bangalore 5 months back.The cost came around Rs.20,000/- (all inclusive)

    My verdict:

    Lot of women (including myself :-(( ) suffering from fibroadenoma might be worried about the look of their assets post surgery.You need not worry, girls.

    Nowadays the surgeries are not any more complicated when compared to the old days.The surgery will definitely leave a good scar if your fibroid is the size of a small gooseberry.The cut is made near to the aerola, to avoid noticeable scars.They seem to fade very slowly and in 6 months time your scar might no longer look noticeable.I hope in 1 year’s time they might vanish completely. 🙂 And most importantly, removal of fibroadenoma will not affect your pregnancy or breast feeding.

    If the doctor recommends, I suggest that you don’t hesitate to get your fibroids removed immediately. Its always better to remove unwanted objects from your body than walk with the fear of having them. 🙂

    Thanks Rids and Rati for such an initiative.

      1. Hey ,
        I am recently diagnosed of Fibroadenoma and I am going to take the Fine Needle Aspiration tomorrow.. Does FNA cause pain or they give u anaesthesia?
        And one more thing about removing these adenomas. I read that sometimes it might not be necessary to get them removed. It totally depends on the complexity and one’s family history, body condition. They might grow back in the same place too after removed.

  8. Rids – Thanks a lot for posting about your experience and info on this. So glad to know you are healthy and fine now 🙂 And thanks to Erin too for the really detailed info..stuff like this scares me, but the two of you sharing all this info here makes me at least more informed and prepared for something like this 😐

  9. Hey Rids….Really happy to know you are fit n fine now!!! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR THIS ARTICLE!!!

    There really needs to be awareness abt such illness….atleast I am glad there is some sort of awareness spreading in the last couple of years which really helps in early detection and cure!!!

    Also I feel everyone above the age of 45-50 shud get a yearly full-body check-up done!! So I would request everyone here whos parents dont already get it done…Pls Pls ask them to!

    1. Thanks you so much Rids for writing about it. Life is indeed mysterious. And it can change in a matter of seconds. Just two weeks back, in the shower, i felt a lump. The next few hours were spent on the internet and a somewhat sleepless night. And the next few days have been a a combination of sleepless nights, indescribable amounts of anxiety and mental trauma. I am 30 and one cant help but wonder why me, why now, i should still be healthy and what next! i had my mamogram and ultrasound done just two days back. The doctor confirmed it was fibroadenoma. While i was somewhat relieved to find out it was a fibroadenoma, i was shocked as hell to find out i had not one but many, 6 in all in both my breasts. 5 of them i cant even feel. The next thing for me is to get a biopsy and just teh word makes me jump. I’ve been on my edge ever since and am having a really hard time keeping my sanity in place.

      I don’t know if the biopsy is just a procedure or if it is because the doctor suspects cancer.

      Any thoughts?

  10. thnks prachi … my tumour was benign not cancerous but since i had mutiple tumors i hav slighly higher risk of breast cancer .. anyways… HOPE UR MOM IS FINE BY NOW ?? how is she doin ??

  11. thnk you everyone for appreciating dis .. thnks erin for answering the questions for me … again everyone PLS DONT IGNORE LIKE I DID FOR 1 YEAR.. M A DUMB FOOL !! .. muster courage and get it checked if u hav somethin of this sort. . .

  12. hi to all ladies, i just want to contribute a piece of information in this.plzzz.. all u guys must do a self examination after your menses get over every month. take care it should b same date every month. palpate ur entire breast first in lying down position,then in standing position while bending forwards and third again in standing but arms over your head.hope this helps…

  13. hi freindz
    my sister have same problem of fibroadenoma and ultrasound showed that its only one and she is having it from 7 yrs she was afraid to go to doc..
    i know it was her biggest mistake, the doc advised to remove it but she dont want to do a surgery and thinks to take homeopathic medicines but i m not sure about homeopathic medicines if any of u ever used plz let me know …

  14. Rids,thank u so much for this article :waytogo: .so many women like me would not know abt this because of lack of information.Also it takes guts to write abt an issue like this which u have personally expeienced,so hats off to u :clap: :clap: :bravo: :thanks:

    And this is y i love this site :heart: it not abt cosmetic reviews or looks etc,its abt the sharing ,good advice and bonding,and expressing ur feelings.Ok now i am getting all mushy.I think i will save some of the love for valentines day.But Rati,i do love what u do by providing such a lovely platform to share,salute to u 2 and a big thank u. :yes: :clap: thanks:

  15. Hi Rids,

    I am working women and am 26 years old. I have 4 lumps in my right breast from past 2 years. I was very scared about that. I was not even to share to anyone. I went to doctor and I was examined then she told me to take some tests and she gave me some medicine because of that it stop to increase. The lumps are painless, movable…

    I was scared to take tests and I am getting metal tension regarding this. Plz suggest me what happen if I ignore this…

    I am very much thankful to your if you provide me the information..

    Waiting for your reply
    Deepa

  16. I understand what you went through except I had a worse experience 3 surgeries for fibroadenoma at age 10 12 and 16. It changed my life drastically I was an out going kid I became sheltered and even today I feel a little awkward. I’m currently 20 yrs old……

  17. hi,
    am a 22yrs old with a 7month year old daughter,wantedto ask which hospital dd u go to,to get dem removed.tnk u

  18. Hello Rids,
    Good Eve…
    Doc diagnosed me of Fibroadenoma today..
    I could feel these lumps from 2 yrs and its grown bigger by now.. but only wit the advice of my closest friend that i decided to consult doc..
    I was shattered to tears as doc suggested surgery for me.. cuz i heard it for the first time in my life..
    I’m worried of the after-effects..
    A huge thnx to u for d post.. It makes me garner courage to face the surgery..
    :puchhi:

  19. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am weighing my options on how to treat my fibroadenomas. I have a dozen in one breast and 8 in the other so I am really nervous on how removal will change the appearance of my already small chest. I am also worried that I will develop more. I have found little information regarding this so thanks again for sharing. I was beginning to think I was the only one.

  20. I am not the type who will write or comment on blogs and articles. But now, I’m taking this time to share how this thing scared the heck out of me. Just 2 Saturdays ago, I had a lumpectomy. The lump that was taken out of my left breast was a little more than the size of a golf ball. Last Saturday, I went back to the doctor to get the pathology result. While driving to the doctor, I can’t stop praying and hoping that it is something I shouldn’t worry about. God heard my prayers and I found our that it’s Fibroadenoma. It’s was a huge relief off my chest knowing that it is something that is benign.

    I’m 32 now and I detected this lump when I was 7 months pregnant, 12 months ago. My baby is 10 months old now and I’m still breastfeeding. And while I was waiting for the pathologist to release the results, I researched on Fibroadenoma. All symptoms and possible causes of my lump points to Fibroadenoma – Hormonal change, pregancy and breast feeding – are some of the common reasons for having this.

    I know though that there are women out there who weren’t as blessed as I am and who are undergoing therapy for the big C. For those women, my prayers are with you and your family. I wish and pray that all of you will get better sooner than later. Continue to have faith in God.

  21. Hello Rids 🙂 great article! I am 18 years old and 6 months ago I felt a lump in my right breast. After seeing 3 different doctors and having 2 ultrasounds they all told me its a benign tumour, like a fibroadenoma plus 2 other very small lumps in my left breast that I had no idea of. They all told me its not cancer.

    I wanted to ask if you have any idea on what effect birth control pills have on these lumps. I have not been on bc until now but I plan on taking them soon enough as a birth control method and I honestly am scared. Will the pills make the lumps grow? Will they have a minimal effect or none whatsoever?

    The gyno I went to actually gave me bc as treatment, the radiologist i went to later told me she doesnt think its a great idea to go on bc but she didnt completely dismiss the idea and the homeopath doctor i went to last told me the same thing as the radiologist so I m a bit confused…

    If you have any adivce on this matter, I would really appreciate it.

    Thank you 🙂

  22. I just get my biopsy result and so happy that is was only a simple fibroadenoma.I qas so scaewd becausw I’m just 23 and so scared of the word cancer.Now thatvI know what the lumps are I’m not worried anymore.My doctoctor said that If the lumps grow bigger then surgery again.It’s always good to see a doctor for us to know what the lump is earlier than to find out what it is when it’s late already just because we are scared.

  23. Hi,
    I am Karishma,23 year old , staying in banglore.
    I read your article. I am also suffering same thing..During My PUC .I came to know about this ,I got operate within one month.. But after two months later I found small tumors. In left side also. Now I have both side .I was studying on this what will be the permanent treatment for this… Because i met many gynecologist,Most of them suggested operation ….Then i started Homeopathi treatment ,But my doctor was not sure about this fibroadenamos tumor growth.
    Most of them Told it wont cause cancer.. I did biopsy also report was positive………
    But Still i am feeling pain in right side .and tumor size is increasing….
    I am planning go here (In Banglore) Some hospital.. lets see what will be reult.

    Can any one sugest…….. Any good doctor in banglore.Who is dealing with this fibroadenomas….Some times i feel that We have medicine to control cancer then why not this tumor… Some medicine should there to control size atleast..

    If you know any GYNECOLOGIST.. Pls ask them Lets us know.The solution for thios other tghan operation..BecAUSE THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME FOR ME ….Who will give me assurance after this operation i wont have fibroadenamAS

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