What to know about a fibroadenoma

It often feels smooth, firm or rubbery and may move beneath the skin. A clinician still needs to assess a new breast lump because touch cannot reliably establish its cause.

Fibroadenomas arise when breast tissue forms a distinct, non-cancerous mass. They can stay stable, change with hormonal shifts or sometimes become smaller without intervention.

Assessment commonly combines a breast examination with imaging. Ultrasound can show the lump's shape and internal features; a biopsy may be advised when imaging is not conclusive or when the clinical findings need confirmation.

Book a breast assessment rather than repeatedly pressing the area. Note where the lump is, when you first noticed it, whether it changes with your menstrual cycle and whether there is nipple discharge or skin change.

If findings are reassuring, monitoring may be appropriate. Removal can be discussed if the lump grows, causes troublesome symptoms, creates ongoing uncertainty or has features that require further evaluation. The choice should reflect test results and your preferences.

Have any new breast or armpit lump assessed without waiting for it to hurt. Prompt review is also needed for a lump that enlarges, new nipple inversion, bloody nipple discharge, breast redness, skin dimpling or a change in breast shape.

Seek urgent help if breast redness and pain occur with fever or marked illness, as infection may need timely treatment. These warning signs guide urgency; they do not identify the diagnosis by themselves.

Ask which examination or scan findings support the diagnosis, whether biopsy is recommended, what change should trigger an earlier return and whether monitoring or excision better fits your situation.