What are the signs of phyllodes tumor?

The most common symptom of a phyllodes tumor is a breast lump that you or your doctor can feel while examining the breasts. Phyllodes tumors tend to grow quickly, within a period of weeks or months, to a size of 2-3 cm or sometimes larger.

Is a phyllodes tumor considered cancer?

Most phyllodes tumors are benign (not cancer), but about 1 out of 4 of these tumors are malignant (cancer).

Can a phyllodes tumor spread?

Phyllodes tumors tend to grow quickly, but they rarely spread outside the breast. Although most phyllodes tumors are benign (not cancerous), some are malignant (cancerous) and some are borderline (in between noncancerous and cancerous).

Can phyllodes tumor be misdiagnosed?

It has been suggested that phyllodes tumors may be misdiagnosed as fibroadenomas by core biopsy. However, in this case, pathology supports correct initial diagnosis of fibroadenoma and demonstrates a portion of the original fibroadenoma along the periphery of the malignant phyllodes tumor.

How do you treat phyllodes tumor?

Tumor Excision and Mastectomy Complete excision, with accurate histologic examination and continued follow-up care, is the best way to treat phyllodes tumors. A general surgery specialist should be consulted. In most cases, wide local excision is indicated, with a rim of normal tissue included.

Are phyllodes tumors curable?

Your outlook is excellent if you had a benign tumor removed with surgery. Treatment often cures malignant phyllodes tumors, but they’re more likely to grow back. They can spread beyond your breast to your lungs.

Should phyllodes tumor be removed?

Most phyllodes tumors are benign. They may look very much like common benign breast tumors called fibroadenomas. Often, the pathologist needs to look at the whole tumor under the microscope to make a diagnosis. This is why surgery to remove a phyllodes tumor is recommended, even if it is thought to be benign.

Can phyllodes tumor be cured?

Phyllodes tumor treatment Even though a phyllodes tumor is benign, it can grow and cause pain and other problems. Your doctor will recommend that you have surgery to remove it. The surgeon will remove not only the tumor, but also some of the healthy tissue around it.

Do phyllodes tumors need to be removed?

What percentage of Phyllodes Tumours are malignant?

Reports have suggested, however, that about 85-90% of phyllodes tumors are benign and that approximately 10-15% are malignant. Although benign phyllodes tumors do not metastasize, they have a tendency to grow aggressively and can recur locally. Like other sarcomas, malignant phyllodes tumors metastasize hematogenously.

Do phyllodes tumors stop growing?

All phyllodes tumors may grow. But they rarely spread beyond your breast. You can have surgery to remove them, but they might come back.

Do phyllodes tumors grow back?

Outlook. Phyllodes tumors aren’t usually cancerous, but they can sometimes return after treatment. Usually, these tumors come back within a year or two after you have surgery. Cancerous tumors may come back sooner.

How did phyllodes breast cancer get its name?

The name “phyllodes” comes from the Greek word for “leaflike.” The name describes the pattern the cells of these tumors grow in, which looks like a leaf. Less than 1 percent of all breast tumors are of this type.

Is there such a thing as a phyllodes tumor?

Like other less common types of breast tumors, phyllodes tumors can be difficult to diagnose because doctors don’t encounter them all that often. A phyllodes tumor also can look like a more common type of benign breast growth called a fibroadenoma.

What to do if you have a phyllodes tumor in your breast?

Having a benign phyllodes tumor does not affect your breast cancer risk, but you may be watched more closely and get regular imaging tests, because these tumors can come back after surgery. Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy or partial mastectomy), in which part of the breast is removed, is typically the main treatment.

How is radiation used to treat phyllodes cancer?

Radiation uses high-energy waves to kill cancer cells. Your doctor can use it after surgery to treat a cancerous phyllodes tumor that hasn’t spread outside of your breast. Chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancer cells throughout your body. This treatment is an option if a cancerous tumor has spread to other parts of your body.