Occurrence of fibroadenomas in postmenopausal women referred for breast biopsy.

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.