BREAST CANCER AWARENESS - PART 13 Phyllodes Tumour Phyllodes tumours are rare solid lumps that usually present as a mass found during a woman’s breast self-examination or on a routine physicalexamination. Smaller masses may be detected mammographically. Phyllodes tumours appear very similar to a benign lump known as a fibro-adenoma. These lumps are usually well circumscribed and painless. Imaging evaluation including a mammogram and ultrasound is usually performed and when a solid lump is identified a biopsy is important to obtain tissue for accurate diagnosis. A Phyllodes tumour cannot be differentiated from a fibro-adenoma by a needle biopsy. This means that your doctor may not be able to accurately tell you whether a solid lump is a benign fibro-adenoma or a Phyllodes tumour. Risk factors for Phyllodes tumour are rapid growth and size greater than 2cm at the time of the evaluation. In many cases your doctor may recommend complete surgical removal of this mass to ensure that it is not an underlying Phyllodes tumour. Phyllodes tumours are not all cancerous. Many will be classified as benign and not require further evaluation. A skilled pathologist is needed to distinguish a benign Phyllodes tumour from one with more aggressive malignant potential. In any event, women who undergo surgery for removal of a Phyllodes tumour require close surveillance with follow-up mammogram and physical examination at regular intervals. Malignant Phyllodes tumours are best managed with a wide excision of normal breast tissue around the tumour to obtain clean margins. In most cases, radiation therapy is not required. Very large malignant Phyllodes tumours may require complete removal of the breast for management (University of Rochester Medical Center).
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 09:00:00 +0000
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