BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuFibroadenoma of the breastBreast lump - fibroadenoma; Breast lump - noncancerous; Breast lump - benignFibroadenoma of the breast is a benign tumor. Benign tumor means it is not a cancer. Causes The cause of fibroadenomas is not known. They may be related to hormones. Girls who are going through puberty and women who are pregnant are most often affected. Fibroadenomas are found much less often in older women who have gone through menopause.Fibroadenoma is the most common benign tumor of the breast. It is the most common breast tumor in women under age 30.A fibroadenoma is made up of breast gland tissue and tissue that helps support the breast gland tissue. Symptoms Fibroadenomas are usually single lumps. Some women have several lumps that may affect both breasts.The lumps may be any of the following:Easily moveable under the skin Firm Painless Rubbery The lumps have smooth, well-defined borders. They may grow in size, especially during pregnancy. Fibroadenomas often get smaller after menopause (if a woman is not taking hormone therapy). Exams and Tests After a physical exam, one or both of the following tests are usually done:Breast ultrasound Breast ultrasoundBreast ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to examine the breasts.Read Article Now Book Mark Article MammogramMammogramA mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breasts. It is used to evaluate some breast symptoms and to find breast cancer in women with no symptoms....Read Article Now Book Mark Article A biopsy may be done to get a definite diagnosis. Different types of biopsies include:Excisional (removal of the lump by a surgeon) Stereotactic (needle biopsy using a machine like a mammogram) StereotacticA breast biopsy is the removal of breast tissue to examine it for signs of breast cancer or other disorders. There are several types of breast biops...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ultrasound-guided (needle biopsy using ultrasound) Ultrasound-guidedA breast biopsy is the removal of breast tissue to examine it for signs of breast cancer or other disorders. There are several types of breast biopsi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Women in their teens or early 20s may not need a biopsy if the lump goes away on its own or if the lump does not change over a long period. Treatment If a needle biopsy shows that the lump is a fibroadenoma, the lump may be left in place or removed.You and your health care provider can discuss whether or not to remove the lump. Reasons to have it removed include:Remove the lumpBreast lump removal is surgery to remove a lump that may be a breast cancer. Tissue around the lump is also removed. This surgery is called an exci...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Results of needle biopsy are not definitive Pain or other symptom Concern about cancer The lump gets larger over timeIf the lump is not removed, your provider will watch to see if it changes or grows. This may be done using:Mammogram Physical examination Ultrasound Sometimes, the lump is destroyed without removing it:Cryoablation destroys the lump by freezing it. A probe is inserted through the skin, and ultrasound helps the provider guide it to the lump. Gas is used to freeze and destroy the lump. Radiofrequency ablation destroys the lump using high-frequency energy. The provider uses ultrasound to help focus the energy beam on the lump. These waves heat the lump and destroy it without affecting nearby tissues. Outlook (Prognosis) If the lump is left in place and watched carefully, it may need to be removed at a later time if it changes or grows.In very rare cases, the lump is cancer and will need further treatment. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if you notice:Any new breast lumps A breast lump that your provider has checked before that grows or changes Bruising on your breast for no reason An area of redness of the skin of your breast Breast skin that looks like an orange peel with thickening of the skin or enlargement of the pores Dimpling or pulling in of the breast skin New inversion of the nipple (nipple going inward instead of outward) Nipple discharge that is clear (like water) or bloodyNipple dischargeNipple discharge is any fluid that comes out of the nipple area in your breast.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican College of Radiology website. ACR Appropriateness Criteria palpable breast masses. acsearch.acr.org/docs/69495/Narrative/. Updated 2022. Accessed February 4, 2024.Klimberg VS, Hunt KK. Diseases of the breast. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 35.Vora H, Oseni TO. Breast. In: Cameron JL, Cameron AM, eds. Current Surgical Therapy. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 12.AllVideoImagesTogA Closer Look Breast cancer - InDepth(In-Depth) Tests for Fibroadenoma of the breast Breast biopsy - ultrasoundRelated Information Review Date: 4/1/2023 Reviewed By: Debra G. Wechter, MD, FACS, General Surgery Practice Specializing in Breast Cancer, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Internal review and update on 02/04/2024 by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. 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Fibroadenoma of the breastBreast lump - fibroadenoma; Breast lump - noncancerous; Breast lump - benignFibroadenoma of the breast is a benign tumor. Benign tumor means it is not a cancer. Causes The cause of fibroadenomas is not known. They may be related to hormones. Girls who are going through puberty and women who are pregnant are most often affected. Fibroadenomas are found much less often in older women who have gone through menopause.Fibroadenoma is the most common benign tumor of the breast. It is the most common breast tumor in women under age 30.A fibroadenoma is made up of breast gland tissue and tissue that helps support the breast gland tissue. Symptoms Fibroadenomas are usually single lumps. Some women have several lumps that may affect both breasts.The lumps may be any of the following:Easily moveable under the skin Firm Painless Rubbery The lumps have smooth, well-defined borders. They may grow in size, especially during pregnancy. Fibroadenomas often get smaller after menopause (if a woman is not taking hormone therapy). Exams and Tests After a physical exam, one or both of the following tests are usually done:Breast ultrasound Breast ultrasoundBreast ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to examine the breasts.Read Article Now Book Mark Article MammogramMammogramA mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breasts. It is used to evaluate some breast symptoms and to find breast cancer in women with no symptoms....Read Article Now Book Mark Article A biopsy may be done to get a definite diagnosis. Different types of biopsies include:Excisional (removal of the lump by a surgeon) Stereotactic (needle biopsy using a machine like a mammogram) StereotacticA breast biopsy is the removal of breast tissue to examine it for signs of breast cancer or other disorders. There are several types of breast biops...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ultrasound-guided (needle biopsy using ultrasound) Ultrasound-guidedA breast biopsy is the removal of breast tissue to examine it for signs of breast cancer or other disorders. There are several types of breast biopsi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Women in their teens or early 20s may not need a biopsy if the lump goes away on its own or if the lump does not change over a long period. Treatment If a needle biopsy shows that the lump is a fibroadenoma, the lump may be left in place or removed.You and your health care provider can discuss whether or not to remove the lump. Reasons to have it removed include:Remove the lumpBreast lump removal is surgery to remove a lump that may be a breast cancer. Tissue around the lump is also removed. This surgery is called an exci...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Results of needle biopsy are not definitive Pain or other symptom Concern about cancer The lump gets larger over timeIf the lump is not removed, your provider will watch to see if it changes or grows. This may be done using:Mammogram Physical examination Ultrasound Sometimes, the lump is destroyed without removing it:Cryoablation destroys the lump by freezing it. A probe is inserted through the skin, and ultrasound helps the provider guide it to the lump. Gas is used to freeze and destroy the lump. Radiofrequency ablation destroys the lump using high-frequency energy. The provider uses ultrasound to help focus the energy beam on the lump. These waves heat the lump and destroy it without affecting nearby tissues. Outlook (Prognosis) If the lump is left in place and watched carefully, it may need to be removed at a later time if it changes or grows.In very rare cases, the lump is cancer and will need further treatment. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if you notice:Any new breast lumps A breast lump that your provider has checked before that grows or changes Bruising on your breast for no reason An area of redness of the skin of your breast Breast skin that looks like an orange peel with thickening of the skin or enlargement of the pores Dimpling or pulling in of the breast skin New inversion of the nipple (nipple going inward instead of outward) Nipple discharge that is clear (like water) or bloodyNipple dischargeNipple discharge is any fluid that comes out of the nipple area in your breast.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican College of Radiology website. ACR Appropriateness Criteria palpable breast masses. acsearch.acr.org/docs/69495/Narrative/. Updated 2022. Accessed February 4, 2024.Klimberg VS, Hunt KK. Diseases of the breast. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 35.Vora H, Oseni TO. Breast. In: Cameron JL, Cameron AM, eds. Current Surgical Therapy. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 12.