Removal of lumps

[salu79]

Hi there. I'm a 25 y.o. with a family history of breast fibroids on mom's side and 2 cases of breast cancer on my dad's side.

I've had one 3.5 cm fibroid lump removed at age 21. Now I have a 1.9cm lump in almost the exact same place. FNA identified it as another fibroid. (Surgery is being scheduled to remove this one, as it sticks out/hurts and scares me). Fyi, Ultrasound also identified 2 other lesions of 0.5cm and a 1cm cyst.

Do young women really get this many lumps and end up being ok? I've been well taken care of by my docs but it is very anxiety inducing. Also wondering if it is dangerous to keep getting prominent fibroids removed - is it better to just keep them in?

Many thanks for your guidance.

[dollishah123]

A related discussion, Breast fibroid was started.

[Raider12]

salu79, i have a question. Right now i'm 20 years old and I have a lump in my right breast and its scaring me to death. Can you describe the process that the doctors took to realize that the lump you had was a fibro.  I had a FNA and i'm going to know the results tomorrow. I'm terrified. The ultrasound said it measures 1.5 but the doctor says it feels like 2 cm. The thing that scared me was that the ultrasound said it had slightly irregular shape, but when I saw it, it looked oval to me. Thats why my doctor did a FNA, and since then i think it grew a little bit or atleast i can feel it more firmer. I would love to hear your story.

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear salu79:  "Fibroids" (a condition of a benign growth in the uterus) is really a term some people use to describe a breast condition known as fibroadenomas.  Fibroadenomas are most common in women in their teens and early twenties.  They are fairly easy to diagnose both by palpation (feeling them) and with mammography and ultrasound.  These are benign and generally do not need to be removed unless they cause discomfort to the patient or if there is any question as to whether they are fibroadenomas. In general, fibroadenomas may not be removed in women in their teens or twenties and are more likely to be removed in older women (just to be sure they are, in fact, fibroadenomas). In most cases, a woman will have a fibroadenoma, it will be removed and she will never have another one.  In cases where the fibroadenoma is not removed,  most will spontaneously resolve within five years.  In some cases, some women will develop multiple fibroadenomas.  If there are multiple fibroadenomas, it becomes impractical to remove them all unless there is a specific patient need.  A breast specialist may be able to shed some additional light on the situation as it relates to you.

[surgeon]

Having fibroadenomas in the breast is not a risk factor for breast cancer, whether they are left in or removed; nor is having it on your father's side of the family.