Is Surgery Necessary for Breast Fibroadenoma?
In general, if a young patient, around 20 years old, unmarried, and with a small fibroadenoma (about 1 cm or even smaller), immediate surgery is not recommended. At this age, the tumor is too small and highly mobile, making it difficult to locate during surgery. Moreover, undergoing surgery for such a minor lesion in an unmarried young woman would leave a scar on the breast, affecting appearance and causing regret. In such cases, observation with or without traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment is acceptable. If during observation the tumor continues to grow slowly and reaches approximately 3 cm, surgical excision is advisable to avoid increased surgical trauma and more noticeable scarring, and because continued growth carries a potential risk of malignant transformation. If the tumor remains stable in size over several years of observation, continued monitoring is acceptable. Until after marriage and before pregnancy, if the tumor exceeds 1 cm, elective surgery should be considered, as during pregnancy and lactation, the dramatic increase in estrogen levels may stimulate rapid tumor growth, potentially triggering sarcomatous transformation.
Of course, if the fibroadenoma is already large (over 2 cm) at initial detection, or if the patient is over 35 years old, immediate surgery is recommended upon diagnosis.
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