Hereditory?

Hi  My mum's biopsy has come back as spindle cell proliferation with fibrocystic change including apocrine metaplasia.  Could you tell me if this is hereditory?  Would I have to be checked?  Also she is going back in for surgery because they are concerned that it will come back.....what exactly is this lump she has?  All we've been told is it's benign and very rare.

[PaulMD]

Hi there.

From the way you described the findings, it seems to me that this is generally a benign condition.  The propensity of a person to develop fibrocystic breast changes can be hereditary in only about 10-20% of cases.  It will be of more concern if one of your family members is indeed be diagnosed of invasive breast cancer.  Precautions to be taken includes doing regular screening mammograms or ultrasound testing so that early breast changes can be detected.  I suggest you discuss this option with your doctor.

Regards and God bless.