Library · Neoplasm
Breast fibroadenoma
Make it clearer
A fibroadenoma is a breast tumor, but the word tumor is scarier here than it should be: this one is benign, meaning it is not cancer. It feels like a small solid lump, not one filled with fluid, and it usually does not hurt. It is made of two types of tissue: epithelial tissue, which is what forms the ducts, and stroma, the supporting tissue that surrounds them.
Those two tissues carry receptors for estrogen and progesterone. A receptor is a kind of lock that the hormone fits into. That is why fibroadenoma formation is thought to be hormonal: the breast may be responding to estrogen with more sensitivity than it should.
It has a very characteristic feature when you feel it. It is well circumscribed, that is, it has a clean border, and it pushes the tissue next to it aside instead of working its way into it. It slips out from under your finger like a marble: that is why it is called a breast mouse.
It shows up mostly between the ages of 15 and 35 and may shrink after menopause. And this is worth saying: why it forms is still a matter of debate.
In brief
A fibroadenoma is a benign breast tumor, solid and usually painless, made of epithelial tissue and stroma.
Those tissues carry estrogen and progesterone receptors; fibroadenoma formation is thought to be hormonal, stemming from estrogen sensitivity.
It is well circumscribed and pushes neighboring tissue aside without invading it; it moves so much it is called a breast mouse.
A marble that slips away under the skin.
It appears mostly between ages 15 and 35 and may shrink after menopause; its causes are debated.
Sources (2)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingBreast Fibroadenoma, StatPearlsPublished
- Mayo ClinicFibroadenoma - Symptoms and causesPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated