Fibroma in medicine, a benign neoplasm is called, consisting of coarse fibrous bundles of connective tissue and fibroblasts. Most often, it is not dangerous to human life, but there are cases when a fibroma grows uncontrollably, causing various problems. The tumor can develop in various places, including bones, feet, walls of the uterus.
Desmoid fibroma
To desmoid fibroma include dense neoplasms surrounded by a fibrous membrane and formed mainly on the abdominal wall, back, chest, upper and lower extremities. This type of fibroma is dangerous because they have a tendency to infiltrate and degenerate into a malignant tumor.
Fortunately, desmoid fibroma (desmoid) is relatively rare, but it occurs 9 times more often in women than in men. The specific mechanism of its formation is still unclear. It is believed, however, that various skin injuries and injuries can cause fibroids, including perineal ruptures during childbirth, scars after injuries and operations.
Clinically, desmoid is a practically painless dense single tumor, the diameter of which can vary from 2-3 to 150 mm or more. Increases in size slowly. The shape of the fibroma is round, but not always correct, the surface is smooth or slightly bumpy. The tumor consists of connective tissue fibers intertwined in different directions. Often in the walls of the neoplasm there are areas of calcification containing bone or cartilage tissue.
A large desmoid fibroma can disrupt the normal functioning of neighboring organs and lead to bone destruction. In 5-8% of cases of desmoid, malignancy is observed, as a result of which squamous cell carcinoma develops at the site of the tumor.
If a desmoid fibroma is suspected, the patient is referred to an oncologist, and when making a diagnosis, X-ray, echotomography, and CT data are used. Treatment is surgical, the prognosis is usually favorable, and relapses are rare.
Non-ossifying fibroma
This type of fibroma is most common in adolescents and children of older age groups. According to doctors, the tumor may be associated with a fibrous cortical defect. Symptoms of the disease are practically absent, and it is detected during x-rays. Sometimes patients are disturbed by incessant pain in the bone.
A characteristic feature of non-ossifying fibroma is a pathological fracture of the limb. The legs are most commonly affected. An x-ray shows fringed bone so thin that a biopsy would be unnecessary. Curettage of the tumor is carried out only with a fracture of the bone or its strong thinning (more than 50% of the bone diameter). The neoplasm may disappear on its own after several years or even months.
Usually, a non-ossifying fibroma is oblong and surrounded by reactive bone margins. The tumor consists of intertwining bundles of collagen fibers, fibroblasts, lipocytes, cellular elements indicating a local inflammatory reaction, and other cells. Most often, the outcome of the disease is favorable, in most cases spontaneous healing occurs.
Neoosteogenic fibroma
Non-ostogenic fibroma are pathological changes in the tibia and femur of unclear etiology. The disease is characterized by focal resorption (resorption) of the cortical layer of the tubular bone with its replacement by fibrous. Fibroma develops usually asymptomatically, leading in many cases to a pathological fracture.
Surgical intervention is carried out in exceptional cases, when human health is in serious danger. In normal cases, treatment is not prescribed, but the outcome is most often favorable. In many cases, the tumor resolves spontaneously.
Cystic fibroma
Such tumor formations are most often found in women after 53-55 years of age, when serious hormonal disruptions are observed in the body. At this time, the production of the hormone progesterone decreases significantly and estrogen begins to predominate. The channels in the mammary glands are partially clogged, the fluid cannot pass through them in the same volume and accumulates in the lobes, which leads to the development of multiple seals – cysts.
Cysts are cavity formations, limited by connective tissue on the outside, and filled with fluid inside. They have an elastic consistency and distinct borders. Cystic mastopathy causes soreness of the mammary glands, discharge from the nipples, fibrotic changes.
Fibroma of the mammary glands is diagnosed using ultrasound and mammography. Ultrasound will be effective when the tumor size is over 1 centimeter, mammography will show reliable results in 90-95% of cases. If necessary, a biopsy is ordered. Only after all the necessary examinations, the doctor will be able to prescribe the required treatment.