Fibroadenoma Breast tumor

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Rocking_Robin
Rocking_Robin Posts: 238 Member
in Motivation and Support
My 20 year old daughter has a Fibroadenoma Breast tumor that is 3cm, the doctor that read the ultrasound considers it big in size and went on to say that this is normally a benign tumor but since this ine is larger the risk for cancer is there, He wants a biopsy and then suggests we have it out, if it is benign now and we leave it is inside it will continue to grow and get more at risk. The doctor also said that since she has had one of these tumors she will be more suseptible to have more. She will need to get on a schedule for Mammogram's as well. My doctor is out of town til next Friday so I can not hear her opinion.If anyone has any experience with these types of tumors I would love to hear it. I have to call into two Breast Care Coordinator's at two different hospitals to call me back on Monday and I am trying complile a list of questions. Thanks.

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  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    Usually benign. Usually occurs in people with fibrocystic breast disease (people with very lumpy and bumpy breasts). Increased risk for breast cancer not because of the fibrocystic breast disease but because small nodules will likely not get taken care of in those people because they often stop examining themselves and stop getting regular exams because of the amount of false positives that occurs.

    Agree with biopsy and agree with removal. Biopsy can be done with medications (mild sedation) or while awake ... but it is nervous to do while awake. My mother has had 3 biopsies and one removal of a "mass" in each of the breasts.

    This is not my area of specialty, but having been through it with my mother that is what I can occur. Its a hard thing for the patient because of personal image issues and of course fear of malignancy. But they are rarely cancerous.
  • luchien
    luchien Posts: 15
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    I work in a Women's Diagnostic Center as a ultrasound tech and we do breast biopsies and breast ultrasounds frequently. Fibroadenomas are more common in younger women and most almost always benign. They usually call this fibrocystic breast disease which sounds scary but is just a breast tissue variant. A breast biopsy for something that is 3cm should be done under ultrasound, and should not be painful! The doctor doing the procedure (interventional radiologist) should numb they area very well with a local anesthetic and then take about 3-5 samples with a biopsy tool. If it hurts during the procedure ask for more numbing medicine, no reason to be under sedation for this since sedation is riskier than the actual procedure.
    The pain may come after the numbing meds wear off but then you can take what the doctor reccomends (no advil, motrin, etc). Depending on what the pathology comes back as, your daughter could choose to leave it in and have follow up ultrasounds every 6months. It really depends on the doctor since they all vary slightly on their final report.
    I am not a physican, don't want it to sounds like I am giving medical advice, just trying to offer some insight since I am a part of these procedures frequently. Let me know if you have more questions, I would be happy to help.
  • Rocking_Robin
    Rocking_Robin Posts: 238 Member
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    Thank you to both of you for your comments,
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    I spoke with my mom -- she said it was not painful ... but nervous for the first one. The second biopsy she did not want to be numbed up for so that one was painful... just thought I would let you know this information.
  • EternalJourney
    EternalJourney Posts: 138
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    Prayers for your daughter! :flowerforyou:
  • Rocking_Robin
    Rocking_Robin Posts: 238 Member
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    Bump
  • HappyGir1
    HappyGir1 Posts: 1
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    I had this several years ago. Mine was larger, about the size of a quarter. I had it removed without a biopsy first. It was so big that it moved nerves as it grew threw the years and that caused sharp pain. The lump/tumor was in there for quite a few years until I just couldn't take it anymore. The surgery was no big deal and the recovery was no problem. Hope this info helps you and your daughter.
  • dasaucywench
    dasaucywench Posts: 56 Member
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    I am an ultrasound tech as well and I agree with everything that luchien said. The only thing that I might add is to consider skipping the biopsy just having it surgically removed. Based on the size, sounds like they are going to remove it anyway. The lump will be analyzed after it is removed by a pathologist to ensure that there are no cancer cells. This will save your daughter some discomfort from the biopsy as well as saving time and money by eliminating the biopsy.
  • Rocking_Robin
    Rocking_Robin Posts: 238 Member
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    They explained 3cm as the size of a peach pit
  • Rocking_Robin
    Rocking_Robin Posts: 238 Member
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    Bump

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