Comparative study of the histopathologic changes within and around fibroadenomas

Abstract

Objective: Fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast tumor but there are a few studies in the literature that describe the histological features of inner and adjacent tissues of fibroadenomas. The aim of the present study is to examine the histological features of the epithelial and stromal tissues within and around fibroadenomas. Materials and Metods: In this study, 52 patients with histopathologically diagnosed fibroadenoma from excisional breast biopsy were retrospectively screened and all hematoxylin eosin stained slides were reevaluated by two pathologists. All data were analyzed with SPSS v.21.0 software package. Results: A statistically significant correlation was detected between complex fibroadenoma and usual ductal hyperplasia (p <0.001), usual ductal hyperplasia was present in 55.9 % of the complex fibroadenomas. No significant association was detected between presence of usual ductal hyperplasia in the surrounding parenchyma and fibroadenoma (p= 0.132). In 26.3 % of fibroadenomas containing usual ductal hyperplasia, usual ductal hyperplasia was present in the adjacent breast parenchyma. There was no significant correlation between complex fibroadenoma and usual ductal hyperplasia or fibrocystic changes in the surrounding parenchyma (p= 0.438 and p= 0.523, respectively). Conclusion: The rates of the proliferative changes that create a risk for breast cancer in and around the fibroadenoma in the younger ages were found similar with the older ages. The examination of the complex and proliferative changes in the fibroadenoma and the proliferative changes in the surrounding breast parenchyma meticulously and specification of all those changes in the report will allow determination of the risk for development of breast cancer more accurately.