Rare findings in a common tumor: A case of complex fibroadenoma with secondary changes in a young female

Abstract

Fibroadenoma (FA) is one the most common breast tumours seen in adolescent and young women. Although, in the postmenopausal females FA regresses, becomes hyalinised and shows calcification these findings are rare in the younger and reproductive age group. Complex FA is defined as FAs with cysts, sclerosing adenosis, epithelial calcifications or papillary apocrine changes. We present a case of multiple synchronous FAs in a young female with uncommon findings at her age like extensive hyalinization, coarse calcification and cystic changes. No evidence of ductal hyperplasia, carcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma was seen. Very few such cases have been reported in literature in young females. Despite these unusual findings, recent large cohort studies concluded that complex FA is not an independent risk factor for carcinoma breast.