Fibroadenomas: My Best Friend’s Breast Complication Fear Unfounded

Recently, a friend of mine was diagnosed with fibroadenomas, a benign breast disorder also affecting millions of American women. With the fear that the lump in her breast was a life altering diagnosis of breast cancer, my friend was surprised to learn the condition was simply an age progression of the breast tissue and not a malignancy. However, even with a fibroadenoma of the breast, life has been altered with necessity to change her activities of daily living. While not life threatening, fibroadenomas of the breast impacts the quality of life for millions of American women each day.

Fibroadenomas is simply a complication of breast tissue which is rarely discussed or educated in women primarily due to breast disorder discussions focused on that of breast cancer. Affecting women, usually, under age 30, the development of fibroadenomas in the breast often leads to unnecessary worry and fear of breast cancer in these same young women. While all breast disorder complications should be examined by a healthcare professional early in detection, it is important that women, like my best friend, understand the risk of developing breast cancer is minimal, especially at a young age and the development of fibroadenomas are actually quite common instead.

As a benign tumor, fibroadenomas of the breast tissue are commonly noticed by young women during monthly self breast exams but can be found simply based upon the pain associated with the solid nature of the lump. However, in many cases, women do not experience pain and, as a result, may not even realize the breast fibroadenoma exists. Believed to be the result of an abnormal growth in the branching lobes within the breast tissue, fibroadenomas are not life threatening and generally reduce in size, and even disappear, within two years of onset.

To diagnose fibroadenomas, women will commonly undergo a mammogram in an effort to properly assess and diagnose and breast health complications. Upon completion of the mammogram, the breast specialist will perform a physical examination and, in most cases, order a sonogram of the breast tissue. With this combination approach, the breast complication is usually ruled as a fibroadenoma for which a woman is provided little to no treatment, expect to modify dietary intake.

While treating fibroadenomas, generally, involves no treatment at all usually, within 24 months of diagnosis, the woman who has been diagnosed with fibroadenomas will undergo repeat mammogram and sonography to confirm the status of the breast fibroadenoma. With modifications to diet, many women will find, at this 24 month check up, the fibroadenoma of the breast has become smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing.

Dietary restrictions, associated with breast complications, are generally quite simple. Limiting consumption of alcohol, caffeine and chocolate as these items contain a chemical known as methylxanthines which may increase the risk for developing fibroadenoma. As a chocolate lover and a regular coffee drinker, women, like my best friend, may find this to be a very challenging dietary modification. Methylxanthines create an overproduction of fibrous tissue in the breast which can lead to the development of breast fibroadenomas. Through elimination of foods and drinks which contain methylxanthines, women who develop breast fibroadenomas may experience a decrease in frequency of development in this benign breast condition.

As with any breast health complication, the key to successful outcomes lies in early diagnosis and intervention. Practicing self breast examinations at home, coupled with regular visits to a gynecologist for annual well woman exams, will provide for the most optimal outcome when facing breast health complications.