Saturday, November 13, 2010

FIBROADENOMA

Fibroadenoma is a lump commonly occurs in breast of young female. It is a smooth, rubbery or hard lump that moves easily within the breast tissue therefore also called “breast mice” as it slips away between the examining fingers. They are made of glandular and fibrous breast tissue and are benign (non-cancerous) lumps most commonly found in women in their late teens to 30 yrs. of age but can occur in women of any age. Increasingly, they are being seen in postmenopausal women who are taking hormone replacement therapy.

The painless lump very often is found by the woman herself. They vary in size and can grow anywhere in the breast tissue. The best time for self examination is after menstrual cycle is over. Most women develop these lumps during the first half of the cycle, which then goes away naturally on its own. If the lumps do not disappear after the menstrual cycle is over, consult a qualified physician immediately to ascertain the exact nature of the lump, whether it is benign or not. Fibroadenomas may become tender in the days before a period or grow bigger during pregnancy or breast feeding. This is correlated with increased level of Estrogen hormone. Same explains the postmenopausal occurrence of fibroadenoma in a woman taking hormone replacement therapy.
 Fibroadenomas can occur alone, in groups or as a complex. Multiple or complex fibroadenomas raise risk of breast cancer slightly.
 The tumor in patient less than 20 years of age has a much more cellular stroma than the usual fibroadenoma, and the ductal component most often has a pericanalicular pattern. In some of these tumors the intraductal epithelial hyperplasia is seen, although the proliferation lacks changes suggestive of ductal carcinoma in situ.
Fibroadenomas range in size from one to five cm, (0.39 inches to nearly two inches). Giant fibroadenomas can be the size of a small lemon, about 15 cm (5.9 inches).
The size may be the result of stromal proliferation or may be due to increased connective tissue mucin. Lactating fibroadenomas (also called lactating adenomas) occur during pregnancy, are often rapidly growing with histological signs of secretory activity. 
While the type of lump can recognize simply by feeling it, generally, the diagnosis is confirmed by mammography or ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration to distinguish it from cyst or other form tumors. Fibroadenoma is not cancer and does not lead to cancer but sometimes a clinical examination, USG, mammogram cannot distinguish between a fibroadenoma or a cancer and therefore some type of breast biopsy is indicated.
Fibroadenomas appear circumscribed, oval or lobulated tumours on mammograph; sometimes the border is ill defined. In contrast, a cancerous lump appears more irregularly shaped and extended out into the surrounding tissues. Calcifications are common, especially in postmenopausal women. The so-called popcorn calcifications are pathognomonic for fibroadenoma. Initially the calcifications are small and punctate, and may be difficult to differentiate from malignant calcifications.
The fine-needle aspiration procedure takes only a few seconds and causes no more pain than having a blood test. The procedure involves inserting a very thin needle attached to a syringe into the lump. If the lump is a cyst, the fluid in the cyst will be drawn into the syringe, and the lump will disappear. If the lump is solid, a small sample of cells will be removed and examined under a microscope to rule out the possibility of a cancerous tumor.
Causes of fibroadenoma:
There is no confirmed cause of fibroadenomas but from their occurrence at the time of menses when estrogen level is at its peak and in postmenopausal woman taking estrogen therapy (HRT – hormone replacement therapy) they are thought to be affected by estrogen.
Treatment of Fibroadenomas:   
A In very young women, the fibroadenoma is not removed yet sometimes these tumors enlarge with pregnancy and breastfeeding,  surgical removal may be recommended  but Homoeopathy has number of medicines which not only resolve but also prevent recurrence of fibroadenoma.  Following homoeopathic medicines are found effective when prescribed as per indications - 
Belladonna, Calcarea flour, Calcarea iod, Carbo animalis, Conium,  Graphite, Hydrastis, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Phytolacca, Phellendrinum, Plumbum iodum, Scirrhnum, Scrophularia nodosa, Silicea, Thuja, Thyroidinum, Tuberculibum etc.
For fibrocystic nodes Phosphorus, phytolacca, Pulsatilla or Silicea may be indicated. For hard nodes Calcerea flour, Carbo animalis or Conium is generally recommended.
Above are few medicines more commonly indicated but your physician can only decide which of the above or some other homoeopathic medicine will suit you.
Some traditional treatments

Appling hot compress to the breasts is one of the oldest and effective remedy. It should be applied for ½ to 1 hour. A towel soaked in castor oil on the affected area and a heating pad on top of it can be used. You can also apply castor oil or evening primrose oil directly to the affected breast and massage it.

Adding fresh ginger to your tea and drinking that regularly. Take low fat and meat and high fiber and soya products in diet. Also, increase the intake of olive oil and fatty fish in diet if your non-vegetarian. Include flex seeds, flex seed oil, and fish oil in diet. Vitamin C and E help in the reduction of excess estrogen. Excess amount of estrogen is known to cause lumps and pain in the breast so vitamin C and E supplements are recommended.

Avoid drinking alcohol altogether and taking caffeine and chocolates as well.
Dr. M. K. Tyagi
D.H.M.S., Dip. N.I.H.
Research Officer 
Sewa Mandir
Mobile" 09829157926
Email: manju_mkt2003@yahoo.co.in

No comments:

Post a Comment