This is my first time, so I hope it all works. I just wanted to find out about anyone else’s experiences and to get as many opinions as possible about my situation. To make everything as brief as poss, my mum and aunt both had BC in their early forties. I have had numerous fibroadenomas (I’ve stopped counting) in both breasts and had them surgically removed 3 times. Thankfully, all benign and OK but my AA cups have slowly dwindled away in the process! My last check up was Dec 07 and I was told that I have several more lumps, both sides, and based on ultrasound and mammo, they are more of the same. My consultant said there were so many that removal would be difficult. I agreed to leave them where they are and go back in 12 mths. Original lumps are still all there (slightly bigger now) and I have now felt a new small lump and am planning to make another appointment to see consultant. Should I request biopsy or removal or trust the results of the ultrasound alone? I have scarring and reduction in breast tissue which already makes mammos difficult. With so many lumps, would biopsy or removal be practical? I would really appreciate sharing your experiences and opinions. Many thanks.
I’ve just spent an age writing a long, convoluted reply which disappeared! So, in short, my family history is similar to yours and I also had multiple fibroadenomas. One fibro. had been there for a few years and was quite large and calcified. I’d had each fibro. ‘triple assessed’ and was happy that none were sinister. However very close to the large calcified one a cancerous tumour had been growing which had been missed. It was 5cm by the time I had a mastectomy. I really beat myself up about not having all the lumps removed earlier but as we both know fibroadenomas are ok to leave and aren’t dangerous. And what job it would have been getting them all out without leaving a mess! But they can also cloud the picture for an inexperienced, lazy or harassed spcialist who’s reviewing the films. I’d go for biopsy too. Sorry it’s not a particularly happy story, but I am still here 5 years on!
Chalee, thank you so much for responding. I have been so confused about the best course of action and although I trust the judgement of the consultant, I feel I need to do all I can now just for my own sanity. I can totally identify with your comment about beating yourself up, even though you did all you could and followed expert advice. It is so confusing as everything “official” that you read about fibro’s says there is nothing to worry about and yet the reality is that sometimes things are overlooked or missed, as your experience and that of many other ladies on this site has shown. At my last appointment my consultant was happy to rely on the results of a 3 month old mamo and the ultrasound and I did get the feeling that there was an assumption that the new lumps were more of the same before he even looked at the results. I suppose I should have insisted on biopsy at the time, but he said what I wanted to hear and I left relieved. Despite having family history, I feel like I am continually wasting the time of the breast clinic with a non-important condition, and I know how many ladies are waiting with far more traumatic situations. I was recommended to this site by a friend who has recently been diagnosed and said I should check out my lumps and bumps. I have an appointment this Thurs and will request biopsies if this is possible. I am thinking of discussing the benefits of diagnosis using MRI scans, is this something you have any experience with? Once again thank you for taking the time to reply, especially as the first one disappeared! The generosity and strength of women like you on this site is overwhelming.
Hi Happycamper. What news of your fibroadenomas? x
Hi Chalee. Thanks for asking after my lumps and bumps! Things all seem to have moved on quite a bit since I wrote that first post. I went to see consultant and had another ultrasound and they stopped counting when they got to 10 fibro’s. Consultant said he was convinced they were only fibro’s although too many to biopsy. Consultant said that in his experience he had not known a women produce so many,so quickly and still increasingly at my age. He asked how I would feel about a double mastectomy and suggested an appointment with a plastic surgeon to discuss options for immediate reconstruction. It was all a bit surreal, to be honest and I woke up the next morning thinking I had imagined it. Taking into account family history, my age and what is going on, I think it may be the right thing to do, although it is such a major decision and I seem to change my mind every day. I have an appointment to see the ps at the end of the month which will hopefully help. I am trying to see it as a positive action to take control of the situation and put an end to the worry. I feel that if I don’t take any action then I am taking a gamble by leaving them there. On the other hand, I may be needlessly having big surgery to remove benign breast tissue. As you can probably tell, my mind is a bit all over the place and I have just realised I have written an essay! Thanks again for the advice.
Hi This is my first post, so please bear with me…4 years ago I found a lump on my left reast near my underarm, I went to the clinic and was told it was a Fibroadenoma,and went away etc etc…I put up with the lump for all this time until t started to get painful,so in June this year I went back to my Gp, who referred me to the Breast Clinic, I had a ultra sound and also a Mammogram (Im 35) and was told its a Fibroadenoma and it needs to be removed,Ive just came out of hospital after having it removed on Thursday,it ws 1 inch by 1 inch,and there had been a slight change in it since 4 years ago. so im recovering at the moment.Im now waiting for an appointment to go back and get results as they also done a biopsy.Im not expecting it to be cancerous, but was wondering IF it could turn cancerous.I also was told I have Fibrocystic breast disease, and was wondering who else has this and what can be done about it and what medication is available.
Ive had cervical cancer in 19999, when I was 26 had a 3inch tumor and needed a radical hysterectomy and lymphectomy but Im fine now,but My boobs have always been very lumpy and sore, and in the past my gp gave me Danazol to take which I did for about 9 months until My cancer surgeon advised me to stop those and take Tamoxifen which I did but dont take anymore.
Any advise would be appreciated thankyou x
Hi Happycamper, You certainly have got a lot to think about! I remember having lots of fibroadenomas coming and going quite quickly. At one ultrasound appointment the radiographer seemed quite shocked and let me see what looked for all the world like a bunch of grapes! And there were others in that same breast. What age are you? I was in my forties when all this was going on, diagnosed with bc at 46. If I had been offered a double mastectomy I think I would have been very shocked and not known what to do. With the 20/20 vision of hindsight I would suggest you go for it. I hesitate to advise anything (I really hate it when people tell me what to do!) But wouldn’t it be a shame If we couldn’t put my crappy experience to good use and save you a lot of grief? Regarding the business of reconstruction, I can recommend that too if it helps! Very best if luck with your chat to the surgeons. Let me know how it goes. X
dids19, Keep taking the Tamoxifen!! X
Hi everybody,
I just came across this site and this is my first post.
I was pretty shocked when I read your post, happycamper. What makes your doctor so sure that this is necessary?
Do you mind if I ask how old you are? I really feel sorry for you and hope you are alright. Have you come to any decision?
I think my situation is somehow similar to yours - although definitely less severe, as up to now, nobody has ever suggested anything like what your doctor said (thank god!)
Sorry if I can’t be of more help, but actually I could use some advice myself.
I’m “only” 28 now, but my last ultra sound found:
- one suspect area (have known that for long, it’s exactly where I had a fibro removed in 2000 and again in 2001 because the thing had come back. Well, bad luck, something popped up again shortly after the second op and since then the doctors are watching it on a yearly basis. Gonna have my first biopsy next week because now the doctor thought it might be DCIS)
- about 4 other things that looked like fibros (have probably had them since last year, but then my doctor had simply told me not to worry and so I didn’t – until now …)
- several cysts (which had never been found before and might go away after my period, I hope …)
I guess, it doesn’t help much that my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer after she had had several fibros.
I’m not so worried that my biopsy next week will find anything to seriously worry about (mostly because I’m just not the age for it), but I wonder what else will be coming up in the next years. If I had to make your decision, happycamper, I wouldn’t know what to do.
Well, anyhow, as my appointment’s up next week, has anybody got an idea about what to do with all the fibros that my doctor simply told me not to worry about? It has never really been confirmed they’re fibros – I’ve only been to ultra sound. Oh, and to mammo also, but that was pretty useless (perhaps I’m too young for that). No needles involved yet, no MRI … To be honest, I’m not really after biopsies because they’d really have to puncture me a lot.
I understand most of you here will from your own experience probably tell me to be cautious and have all kinds of checkups. But isn’t it true that somehow I will have to arrange with my lumps? I mean, there’s just so many of them and I intend to live with them for another decent number of years or decades, hopefully. I can’t have a biopsy or an MRI or whatever every year, can I?
Thanks to all of you for reading. Comments much appreciated.
P.S. chalee, reading your story makes me think it all over, of course …All the best to you!
Hi everybody
Sorry I didn’t respond to you dids, just been a lot going on. I expect you have now had the biopsy results and hope everything went well and that you are recovering. As far as fibroadenomas turning cancerous, I have always been told this is not possible and my surgeon is also confident that having fibros does not increase your chances of developing bc in the future. In fact, bizarrely enough, the more fibros you have the less “normal” breast tissue there is, so statistically you could say that the risk lessens. In my case, I am as confident as I can be that there is nothing nasty, but due to the number of fibros, my age (41), family history and the frequency with which they seem to be returning, I think my situation is relatively rare. My concerns are that self-examination is not effective as I am so lumpy and there is a small chance that the fibros could be hiding something. If I had a few and they were removed I would not be considering mastectomy, and would be happy self-examining and reporting anything unusual.
Mirah, I really hope my experience doesn’t cause you unnecessary worry. My decision to have the bilateral mastectomy is probably the most difficult decision I have ever made. It is so personal and there are so many things to take into account. You are much younger than me and one of the things that influenced my decision is the rarity of women producing so many fibros past the age of 40. I think the most important thing is to have confidence in your consultant and radiographer and make sure you take someone with you to make sure you get all the answers you need.
Chalee, thanks again for the offer of advice and hope you are keeping well. You have probably gathered that I have opted for the op and following appt with ps, we have decided on implants. Boob surgeon will be talking to ps next week to discuss where the scars will be and then we can set a date. I feel it is the right decision for me, but just wish I didn’t have to go through it all, but then I don’t expect I need to tell you that. I’d be interested to hear about recovery times and what reconstruction you had, if you don’t mind me asking. I seem to have written another essay, so best wishes to everyone.
I had a 46mm fibroadenoma which was hiding a 33mm grade 3 Her2+ tumour. All my test results came back clear and my surgeon told me I did not have cancer. The tumour was found when I was having the fibroid removed and the surgeon had to give me the bad news when I went back for the follow up appointment.
From my experience I would advise having fibroadenomas removed.
Thanks for your uplifting words, happycamper!
The least thing you should worry about is causing me any worries - reading your post was at my own risk 
I know the fear about self-examination being not effective, so from a rational point of view, your decision makes perfect sense to me. Yet I wonder if I could bring up your courage. You’re very brave. It’s probably not the best time of your life, but once you’re through it, you’ll be relieved. Wish you all the best.
Cherub, thanks to you also for sharing your experience. Hope you’re alright now.
I see what you mean, but still … when, after two ops, my fibroadenoma came back for the third time, I somehow failed to see the point in having them removed. Seems to be a neverending story, I guess …
Hi guys
Im 22 and recently found a lump got it tested and turned out to be a fibroadenomas, another one grew really quickly and im just waiting for results on that one. My doctor suggested that it was best to get it removed as it was 3.3cm but it seems to be constantly changing, getting smaller than bigger again. Anyway just wanted to talk to people who have gone through it and see how long it took others to recover from the operation?, if more continue to pop up over time? and if anyones heard of any other treatments rather than just surgery?
Thanks guys
Hi!
I have just been diagnosed with fibroadenoma that is 4-5 cm that has doubled its size from 2.5 cm in about 8 months. My doctor wants to remove it surgically, which will seriously deform my breast. From your discussions it seems that fibroadenoma is harmless and that this might not be necessary…? I have also come across a treatment option called cryoblation, which freezes the tissue instead of surgically removing it. I’m living in Norway where noone has heard of this treatment, so i’m looking for treatment in Europe - so far no luck… Does anyone know where can I find a doctor who can advise me on cryoablation?
Thanks guys!
Hi i’m new to this and very scared!
I went to the hospital on Monday after finding a lump in my right breast before christmas they did a ultrasound, mamo and 3 core biops. when the dr did the scan he noticed areas in my lymph glands but did not seem to make to much of this! that’s when he sent me for a mamog then straight back in for the biop. He’s asked me to return on Thusday for the results. He mentioned the mamo looked like fibroendoma ( orI think that’s what he said!) not directly to me but to the nurse. Not sure if he said it to alay my fears until the results are in? i’v been reading alot about breast cancer and fibro and no one mentions the fobro being in the lymph gands. I am really scared - as you can probably tell by my ramblings!!! any clues?
Hi happycamper!, I am exactly the same has you i wentt 4 n ultra sound a year ago with a lump that endd up bein fiberadnoma, A year to the day i found a second lump, I ve been for my ultras sound today and they found another 3 whilst i were there, The nurse told me that theres a 99.9% that i ll get more to so i don t even want 2 attempt to have them removed, By the time they will have finished id have no confidence what so ever with the scars i d be left with. I ve tried researching it a bit on the net, and i ve read that people who suffer from fnomas are more prone to breast cancer, But my concern is i know there benine but can they turn milignant and if not why do i have to go for biopsy s every six months?? xx
Hi
Can anyone tell me what Fibroadenomas feel like. I have a lump in my left breast and have a mammogram on friday with a scan. 27/3
My lump feels like an almond shape lump, and moves around a bit. Can anyone help me relieve the awful stress I am goping through at the moment. I can’t function,worrying is driving me insane
Thanks
Karen