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Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration showing a fibroadenoma 
Fibroadenoma

Fibroadenomas are solid breast lumps or masses that usually are:

  • Round with distinct borders
  • Easily moved
  • Firm or rubbery
  • Painless

A fibroadenoma may feel like a marble within your breast when you press on it. You can have one or many fibroadenomas. They usually grow to about 1 to 2 centimeters (cm) in size, but they can become even larger. A fibroadenoma that measures 5 cm or greater is referred to as a giant fibroadenoma.

When to see a doctor
Normal breast tissue in healthy women often feels lumpy or nodular. If you detect the presence of any new breast lumps, however, or if a previously evaluated breast lump seems to have grown or otherwise changed, make an appointment with your doctor to get it checked out.

References
  1. American Cancer Society. Non-Cancerous Breast Conditions. Accessed May 18, 2009.
  2. Giuliano AE. Breast Disorders (Chapter). In: McPhee SJ, et al, eds. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2009, Forty-Eighth Edition. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies. 20009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=8538. Accessed May 18, 2009.
  3. Sabel MS. Overview of benign breast disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 18, 2009.
  4. National Cancer Institute. Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide For Women. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understanding-breast-changes. Accessed May 18, 20009.
  5. Fletcher SW et al. Primary care evaluation of breast lumps in adult women, http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 18, 2009.
  6. Courtillot C, et al. Benign breast diseases. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2005; 10:325-335.
  7. Harris JR et al. Diseases of the breast. Philadelphia, Pa.:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004, p. 45-47.

DS01069

May 27, 2009

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