breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma

Breast Pericanalicular Fibroadenoma: A Benign Breast Tumor

A breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma is a type of benign (non-cancerous) breast tumor that is characterized by the proliferation of stromal cells around patent, rounded tubules. This condition is also known as a fibroadenoma.

Key Features:

• Solid lump: A breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma appears as a solid lump in the breast.
• Well-defined borders: The tumor has distinct, smooth borders that are easily felt by a doctor.
• Firm or rubbery texture: The lump is firm or rubbery to the touch.
• Circumferential proliferation of stromal cells: The stroma (connective tissue) surrounding the tubules proliferates in a circular manner.

Histological Characteristics:

• Pericanalicular pattern: The tumor exhibits a pericanalicular pattern, where the stromal growth encircles patent, rounded tubules.
• Intracanalicular pattern: Some fibroadenomas may also exhibit an intracanalicular pattern, where the stromal growth compresses ducts into arcs with slit-like spaces.

Clinical Significance:

• Benign tumor: A breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma is a benign tumor that does not have the potential to become cancerous.
• No increased risk of cancer: There is no increased risk of developing breast cancer associated with this condition.

References:

• [3] - Fibroadenomas disclose an admixture of pericanalicular (stromal growth encircling patent, rounded tubules) and intracanalicular patterns (stromal growth compressing ducts into arcs with slit-like spaces). 1 The stroma of the fibroadenoma has uniformly low cellularity and is devoid of significant nuclear atypia (Fig. 1 A).
• [7] - It is a circumscribed benign breast neoplasm that occurs most commonly in adolescent females and young women, are hormone-sensitive, and may grow rapidly during pregnancy.
• [15] - Histologically, fibroadenomas disclose an admixture of pericanalicular (stromal growth encircling patent, rounded tubules) and intracanalicular patterns (stromal growth compressing ducts into arcs with slit-like spaces). 1 The stroma of the fibroadenoma has uniformly low cellularity and is devoid of significant nuclear atypia (Fig. 1 A).

Common Signs and Symptoms of Breast Pericanalicular Fibroadenoma

Breast pericanalicular fibroadenomas are a type of benign tumor that can occur in the breast. While they are not cancerous, it's essential to be aware of their signs and symptoms to ensure early detection and treatment.

• Painless Lump: The most common symptom is a painless lump or mass in the breast, which can feel firm or rubbery to the touch [6][10].
• Solid Mass with Distinct Borders: A fibroadenoma typically presents as a solid mass with distinct, smooth borders [3][7].
• Mobile and Round Shape: The tumor is usually mobile and has a round shape, making it easy to move around in the breast tissue [6][10].
• Firm or Rubbery Texture: Fibroadenomas often have a firm or rubbery texture, which can be similar to a marble in the breast [15].

It's worth noting that some fibroadenomas may not cause any symptoms at all and are only detected during routine imaging or physical examination. In rare cases, they may grow larger or become painful, but this is less common.

Important Considerations

While fibroadenomas are generally benign, it's crucial to have them evaluated by a healthcare professional to rule out any potential complications or cancerous growths. Regular breast exams and mammograms can help prevent complications and ensure early detection of any changes in the breast tissue.

References:

[3] M Ajmal · 2022 · Cited by 65 — A breast fibroadenoma is a painless, unilateral, benign tumor that presents as a solid lump. [6] Signs and symptoms · Painless · Firm or rubbery · Mobile · Solitary-round with distinct, smooth borders. [7] Most fibroadenomas are sharply demarcated, firm masses no more than 3 cm in diameter. They are solid, grayish white, and bulging, with a whorl-like pattern and ... [10] Symptoms. A fibroadenoma is a solid breast lump that often causes no pain. It is: Round with distinct, smooth borders; Easily moved; Firm or rubbery; [15] A fibroadenoma is a benign (noncancerous) tumor. They are usually not painful and can feel like marbles in your breast.

Diagnostic Tests for Breast Pericanalicular Fibroadenoma

Breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma, a type of benign breast tumor, can be diagnosed through various diagnostic tests. Here are some of the common methods used to diagnose this condition:

• Clinical Examination: A physical examination by a healthcare provider is often the first step in diagnosing breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma. The doctor will examine the breast lump and surrounding tissue to assess its size, shape, and consistency.
• Imaging Studies: Imaging tests such as mammography (X-ray of the breast) and ultrasound are commonly used to evaluate the breast lump. These tests can help determine the size, location, and characteristics of the tumor [6].
• Breast Core Needle Biopsy (BCNB): A BCNB is a minimally invasive procedure that involves removing a small sample of tissue from the breast lump for further examination under a microscope. This test can provide a definitive diagnosis of pericanalicular fibroadenoma [8].
• Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA): FNA is another minimally invasive procedure that involves using a thin needle to collect a sample of cells from the breast lump. The collected cells are then examined under a microscope for diagnostic purposes.
• Ultrasound: Ultrasound imaging can also be used to evaluate the characteristics of the tumor, such as its size, shape, and borders [6].

It's worth noting that while these tests can help diagnose pericanalicular fibroadenoma, a biopsy is often necessary to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy involves removing a sample of tissue from the breast lump for further examination under a microscope.

References:

[6] Nov 7, 2024 — On ultrasound breast scans, a typical fibroadenoma has an elongated-oval shape with even borders [6]. [8] Most fibroadenomas can be diagnosed readily by breast core needle biopsy and FNA. If imaging studies correlate well with either procedure, there is no need to proceed further [8].

Based on the provided context, it appears that there are limited options for drug treatment of breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma.

According to search result [4], in some cases, hormonal drugs may be prescribed. However, this is not a common or recommended treatment approach, and more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness.

It's worth noting that the majority of the search results focus on surgical excision as the mainstay of treatment for fibroadenomas, including pericanalicular fibroadenoma (search result [8]). This suggests that drug treatment may not be a primary consideration in managing this condition.

In fact, search result [7] states that "There is no medical treatment for the fibroadenoma." This implies that current medical guidelines do not recommend drug treatment as a standard approach for pericanalicular fibroadenoma or other types of fibroadenomas.

However, it's also worth mentioning that search result [5] mentions certain immunosuppressant drugs and viral infections such as the Eppstein-Barr virus as possible causes of fibroadenomas. But this is not directly related to drug treatment for pericanalicular fibroadenoma.

In summary, while there may be some limited research or anecdotal evidence suggesting that hormonal drugs could be used in certain cases, it appears that surgical excision remains the primary treatment approach for breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma.

The differential diagnosis for breast pericanalicular fibroadenoma involves several conditions that can present with similar clinical and histological features.

• Phyllodes tumor: This is the main differential diagnosis, especially when a predominant intracanalicular pattern is seen [3]. Phyllodes tumors are characterized by an increased cellularity of the stroma and an epithelial component demonstrating a "leaf-like" architectural pattern [13].
• Cellular fibroadenoma: This variant can be difficult to distinguish from low-grade phyllodes tumors, as it also exhibits increased cellularity and a similar histological appearance [14].
• Benign proliferative lesions: These include conditions such as inflammatory processes, virginal breast hypertrophy (juvenile macromastia), and other benign proliferative lesions that can mimic the clinical presentation of fibroadenoma [11].

It's essential to note that the differential diagnosis for pericanalicular fibroadenoma is often based on histological examination, and a thorough evaluation by a pathologist is necessary to rule out these conditions.

According to various studies, the prevalence of breast fibroadenoma in women aged 18-40 years is around 27.6% [10], and it's estimated that 10% of women have breast fibroadenomas [10]. However, the incidence of fibroadenoma decreases with age, and it's generally found before 30 years of age in females in the general population [10].

References:

[3] Given the degree of morphologic overlap, phyllodes tumor is the main differential diagnosis, especially when a predominant intracanalicular pattern is seen.

[10] The prevalence of breast fibroadenoma in women aged 18-40 years in a study conducted in Guangdong province of China was 27.6%.

[11] The differential diagnosis of giant fibroadenoma includes Phyllodes tumor, virginal breast hypertrophy (juvenile macromastia), inflammatory processes and benign proliferative lesions.

[13] Discuss a Common Tumor in the Differential Diagnosis of a Fibroadenoma. The histologic differential diagnosis includes the phyllodes tumor in which there is increased cellularity of the stroma, and the epithelial component demonstrates a “leaf-like” architectural pattern.

[14] Fibroepithelial lesions of the breast, comprising the fibroadenoma and phyllodes tumour, are a unique group of neoplasms that share histological characteristics but possess different clinical behaviour.