How to Diagnose Breast Fibroadenoma
Since the breast is an organ located on the body surface, the diagnosis of fibroadenomas occurring in the breast is relatively easy.
The diagnostic criteria for breast fibroadenoma are as follows:
(1) This condition commonly affects young women, with the highest incidence between 18 and 25 years old.
(2) Tumors usually occur unilaterally, often as solitary masses, most frequently in the outer upper quadrant of the breast. The mass is typically round or oval, variable in size, firm in texture, smooth on the surface, clearly demarcated, highly mobile, not adherent to surrounding tissues, painless, and non-tender. Growth is slow, does not ulcerate or suppurate, and is unrelated to the menstrual cycle.
(3) Mammography and other imaging examinations can assist in diagnosis. If necessary, fine-needle aspiration cytology or histopathological examination of a tissue sample may be performed to confirm the diagnosis definitively.
It should be noted that for women over 35 years old, especially postmenopausal women, if a breast lump appears—even if its characteristics closely resemble those of a breast fibroadenoma—this diagnosis should not be made hastily. One must first rule out the possibility of breast cancer before diagnosing fibroadenoma, and surgical treatment is preferred.
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