Related Experiment Videos
Occurrence of fibroadenomas in postmenopausal women referred for breast biopsy
T B Hunter1, C C Roberts, K R Hunt
1Department of Radiology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724, USA.
Objective:
To examine the occurrence of breast fibroadenomas in postmenopausal patients referred for breast biopsy.
Design:
A retrospective review of breast biopsy outcome and of patient demographics, including menstrual and hormonal status.
Setting:
The Tucson Breast Center, a large outpatient breast cancer detection clinic affiliated with the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson, Arizona.
Participants:
All women seen at the Tucson Breast Center between 1985 and 1990 who were referred for breast biopsy.
Results:
A total of 100 fibroadenomas were found in 709 breast biopsies whose results were known. Fifty-two of these were in premenopausal women and 44 in postmenopausal women; the menopausal status of four women was unknown. In postmenopausal women, 11 of the 44 patients reported hormone use. Fibroadenomas constituted 20% (39 of 195) of the benign masses and 12% (39 of 339) of all breast masses in postmenopausal women. Fibroadenomas constituted 10% (44 of 447) of all biopsies in postmenopausal women, including those with breast masses, abnormal calcifications, or other lesions.
Conclusion:
Noncalcified fibroadenomas of the breast are not confined to young women and may constitute a small but noteworthy proportion of lesions coming to breast biopsy in postmenopausal women.