Fibroadenoma (patient information)
|
Fibroadenoma |
|
Fibroadenoma On the Web |
|---|
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:
Overview
Fibroadenoma is a common benign breast mass commonly seen in women under the age of 30. It is characterized by proliferation of both epithelial and stromal components.
What are the symptoms of (disease name)?
- Most people with fibroadenoma do not present with any symptoms. But, some patients can be present with breast pain and breast asymmetry.
What causes (disease name)?
The exact cause of fibroadenoma is unknown. Some professionals believe that it may be related to increased sensitivity of the breast tissue to the hormone estrogen.
Who is at highest risk?
- Certain factors can predispose to the development of fibroadenoma. They include:
- Women younger than 35 years
- Being overweight
- People who have had benign breast disease in the past
- A family history of multiple fibroadenomas. This risk factor predisposes patients to developing multiple fibroadenomas.
- Taking oral contraceptives before the age of 20.
Diagnosis
- In order for a physician to make proper diagnosis of fibroadenoma, a physical examination of the breast mass must be done.
- After performing a physical examination, an ultrasound may be done to have a better view of the mass. It is commonly used in adolescents. Depending on the findings seen and the symptoms a patient presents with, the health care provider can decide to stop here or do more tests. If more tests aren't needed, serial ultrasounds may be needed to check for changes in the mass.
- A mammogram can also be used as an imaging study. It is not recommended to be used in women under the age of 30.
- In certain situations, your health care provider may need to use a needle to make a biopsy of the breast mass. This is done in cases of a mass that's growing rapidly, patient anxiety about the mass despite reassurance, intense pain, cosmetic issues, and more.
When to seek urgent medical care?
- This section should focus on the symptoms that may indicate impending life threatening situations, or significant worsening.
- For an example of a section detailing this on a patient information page, click here
Treatment options
- Because most fibroadenomas are expected to resolve overtime, they are managed conservatively with follow up that includes yearly breast examination and ultrasound if necessary. Those that do not completely resolve or do not change after the age of 35 are usually removed via surgery.
- It is important to follow the advise of your health care provider regarding the management of fibroadenoma
Where to find medical care for (disease name)?
- In this section you can provide links for reputable places that the patient can find good treatment for there condition.
Prevention
- So far, there are no studies to show the ways of preventing fibroadenoma.
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
- The outcome of fibroadenoma is excellent with the survival rate being equal to that of the general population.
- Most fibroadenomas resolve completely. This is very common in the adolescent population.
Possible complications
- In this section, you can list the common and most important (life-threatening) complications of the disease or it's treatment.
- For an example of the complications section in a patient information page, click here.
Sources
- Put the sources for your information here.
- The National Library of Medicine is a good source to reference for patient information pages: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/.
Things to Remember
- Include a link back to the physician page at the top of the page.
- Always put {{CMG}} at the top of every page.
- Never take content directly from a source without checking copyright.
- Place your patient page in the patient information category as well as any other doctor categories the condition may fit into. To place a category onto a page, use the following code:
- [[Category:Patient information]]
- As with all WikiDoc pages, create hyperlinks for key words and diseases. However, make sure that the hyperlinks link to other patient's information pages and not to regular WikiDoc pages.
- Example: Heart failure should be linked to [[Congestive heart failure (patient information)]] and not to [[Heart failure]].