A fibroadenoma is a benign lump made of glandular and fibrous breast tissue. It is the most common breast lump in women between 15 and 35. It is not cancer and does not turn into cancer in any meaningful proportion of cases.
Most stay the same size or shrink, especially after the menopause. Every new breast lump still needs proper assessment, because a diagnosis cannot be made safely by feel alone.
Symptoms
- A smooth, firm, rubbery lump that moves easily under the fingers
- Usually painless, sometimes tender before a period
- Commonly 1 to 3 centimetres across
- More than one lump, or lumps in both breasts, in some women
- Rapid growth, which is unusual and needs reassessment
Causes and risk factors
Fibroadenomas arise from a breast lobule and respond to oestrogen, which is why they appear during the reproductive years, may enlarge in pregnancy and tend to shrink after the menopause. No dietary or lifestyle cause has been shown. Complex fibroadenomas, which contain cysts or calcification, carry a slightly raised later breast cancer risk. Giant and juvenile fibroadenomas grow quickly in teenagers. The main look-alike is a phyllodes tumour, which needs wider removal.
How it is diagnosed
- Clinical breast examination: Assesses the lump, the rest of both breasts and the armpits.
- Ultrasound: The main test under 40. It shows a well-defined oval solid lump.
- Mammogram: Added from about age 40, or when ultrasound findings are uncertain.
- Core needle biopsy: Confirms the diagnosis. It may be omitted in women under about 25 with classic ultrasound features, according to local guidelines.
Treatment options
- Reassurance and monitoring: A biopsy-proven fibroadenoma can simply be left, with a repeat ultrasound if it changes.
- Surgical excision: Through a small incision, often at the edge of the areola, for lumps that are large, growing, uncomfortable or uncertain on biopsy.
- Vacuum-assisted excision: Removal through a needle under ultrasound guidance and local anaesthetic, suited to lumps up to about 3 centimetres, leaving a tiny scar.
- Cryoablation: Freezing the lump in place, available in some centres. The lump shrinks over months and may remain palpable for a while.
When it is urgent
A fibroadenoma is never an emergency. See a doctor promptly, locally, for a lump that grows quickly, skin dimpling, nipple inversion or bloody discharge, or a hot red swollen breast with fever.
Travelling to Türkiye for treatment
Travelling solely for a fibroadenoma is rarely necessary. It can make sense if you want vacuum-assisted removal that is not offered where you live, or if you are already visiting for another reason. Assessment, biopsy result and removal can fit in about a week. The specimen is always sent to pathology, so make sure you receive the written report before leaving or by email soon after.
Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a fibroadenoma raise my cancer risk?
A simple fibroadenoma does not. Complex types add a small increase, managed by normal screening.
Can it grow back after removal?
The same lump rarely returns, but new fibroadenomas can form elsewhere.
Will removal affect breastfeeding?
Usually not, particularly with small incisions away from the ducts.
Do I need it removed before pregnancy?
No, unless it is large or uncertain. It may enlarge in pregnancy and shrink again afterwards.