Some of us may blush while reading this article or even hesitate to bring up the topic among friends. However, it is integral that more young women learn about breast health since we all have a pair. The importance of this article became more evident when, in having a discussion with one of my friends, she revealed that she had lumps in her breasts.
Alarmed, I immediately envisioned cancerous cysts, unwanted and hostile, trapped in her mammary glands. However, she was quick to assure me that, not only were the lumps benign (non cancerous), but that it was something that both her mother and sister also experienced, a condition called fibroadenoma, hereditary non-malignant breast lumps. In my ignorance, I had never heard of such a phenomenon and did some supplementary research about the "disease". There are basically three types of conditions that would lead to lumps in breasts: breast cancer, fibrocystic breast disease and fibroadenoma.
I will focus on fibroadenoma the only one of the highlighted conditions that predominantly affects women under the age of 30. Fibroadenomas are tumors that are comprised of fibrous and glandular tissue. The tumors are usually small, oval and freely mobile, and may also appear in clusters. Their mobility may be somewhat disconcerting, because they seem to have a free range of movement within the breast mass, which is a bit unusual.
How can you be sure that the "lumps" that you feel in the breast are relatively harmless fibroadenomas? Short of doing your own self breast exam, which all women over the age of 20 should perform fairly regularly, you should definitely go to your doctor to have an ultrasonogram performed.
One may assume that a sometimes painful, often uncomfortable mammogram would have to be taken, however it is not effective in distinguishing fibroadenoma masses from other types of masses that may be present in the breast. Once this is done, the doctor either confirms or rules out the lumps' identities as fibroadenomas. If you do have the condition, there are options to deal with it depending on the severity of the situation.
In instances where the lumps are small and painless and a sample biopsy belies no imminent threat, they can be left alone. However, if the lumps are too big and pose a potential threat, they can be surgically removed.
Why do these tumors appear in the first place? A direct cause has not been determined, but some links have been made to fluctuations in hormone levels as most cases occur in women who are pregnant, pre-menopausal, experiencing menstruation or taking estrogen therapy.
So while there is no true preventative measure for fibroadenomas, I think it is in the best interest of young women everywhere to regularly perform a breast self exam. In this age of information and technology, there are many electronic resources available to show you exactly how to perform a breast self exam. Young women should make gynecological appointments regularly to keep their reproductive and overall health in check.
For more information on breast health and other gynecological issues, visit the Baruch Health Care Center or make an appointment at (646) 312-2040.
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