Women of any age can face such a problem as intraductal papilloma of the mammary gland. Of course, such a diagnosis does not mean anything to many, but experts know that this is quite serious. Therefore, it is important not to self-medicate, but to do everything that the doctor recommends.
Symptoms of the appearance of papillomas
Everyone knows that preventive breast examinations must be done at least once a year. But even if you do not always comply with this rule, then do not be too lazy to go to a doctor specializing in breast diseases if you notice at least one of the following symptoms. So, the intraductal papilloma of the
mammary gland, the treatment of which is mandatory, may be, if you have:
1) during palpation of the nipple or areola surrounding it, a nodule is felt, it can be a little painful;
2) discharge appeared from the chest.
If we talk about the first symptom of the appearance of papilloma, then you also need to know that when you press on the nodule, as a rule, you can notice the release of fluid from the nipple. But the intraductal papilloma of the mammary gland can be felt only if it is located on one of the main milky ducts. If the neoplasm becomes inflamed, then this is accompanied by edema of a significant area of the chest. In this case, a fairly dense formation is palpated.
Discharge from the nipple should be evaluated by a specialist. They can be either whitish, transparent, or bloody. If the discharge has acquired a brown or green hue, then this indicates that an infection develops in the milk ducts .
Risk group
In order not to miss the onset of the development of breast disease in women, it is important to know who should be more careful. So, women are most susceptible to the appearance of papillomas, in which the level of hormones decreases. This process in most cases begins after 40 years. But it is often diagnosed in younger women.
It is difficult to clearly determine the cause that leads to the development of papillomas. But doctors know that in most cases the appearance of neoplasms is facilitated by an imbalance of female hormones in the body. If you know that you have these problems, then you need to carefully monitor any changes in the chest. Exceptions are made only for pregnant women, whose discharge, as a rule, indicates the preparation of the body for the appearance of the baby.
Diagnostics
In most cases, breast diseases in women are detected only during preventive visits to gynecologists and mammologists. They may suspect problems with visual examination and palpation of the chest. But it should be remembered that cystadenomapapilloma may not be felt, because it can be only a few millimeters in size.
If there is a suspicion of papilloma in the ducts, the doctor should take a liquid that is secreted from the nipples for cytological analysis. In addition, to diagnose the disease, the doctor may suggest to undergo the following hardware tests: ultrasound, MRI, mammography, ductography.
- Ultrasound of the mammary gland. During its conduct, it is impossible to consider the ducts themselves, but one can distinguish a benign formation from a malignant one.
- MRI is an alternative to ultrasound. With the help of his research, the intraductal papilloma of the mammary gland can be detected.
- Mammography. The method is suitable only for large papillomas. With its help, it is possible to detect neoplasms whose diameter exceeds 5 mm.
- Ductography. It is the most reliable diagnostic method, during its implementation you can see not only the location of the papilloma, but also to estimate its size.
Ductography
Before the study, which is carried out as a radiopaque mammography, it is important to explain to the woman that she should not squeeze out fluid from the mammary glands. This is the main stage of preparation for the study. Diagnosis by this method is carried out after filling the ducts of the mammary gland with a contrast agent. This is done using a special thin flexible catheter, which is inserted into the duct of the mammary gland through the nipple. The procedure lasts no more than 30 minutes. The breast papilloma in the picture will look like a defect that has not been filled with contrast medium.
Using this method, you can evaluate the condition of all the milk ducts of a woman. The picture shows the location of the tumor, and there you can clearly set its size. This procedure is painless, but many women say that they experienced discomfort during it.
Disadvantages of ductography and contraindications to its implementation
It is immediately worth noting that not in all cases the intraductal papilloma of the mammary gland is established as a result of this procedure. There are situations when you can’t do it. For example, if as a result of a cytological study of discharge from the nipples atypical cells were found , then this procedure is contraindicated.
In addition, there are certain risks during its implementation. So, for example, a catheter can damage the milk duct. But even if this happens, the affected area must heal on its own. It is also possible that the catheter enters the duct, in which there is no papilloma, and the problem will not be diagnosed during.
Reasons for the appearance
Many are interested in knowing why they formed an intraductal papilloma. Treatment, of course, is no less important for them, but first of all they want to find out what caused its appearance.
So, the most important provoking factor is called hormonal imbalance in the body of a woman. This can happen both in adolescence and in old age. Hormonal changes that occur in the body during pregnancy and after childbirth are also a provoking factor.
Treatment selection
Do not underestimate the severity of papillomas that appear in the intraductal glands. After all, their appearance is referred to as precancerous conditions, therefore they are subject to mandatory treatment. But first, a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out to exclude a malignant tumor. If as a result it was confirmed that the intraductal papilloma of the mammary gland is benign, then conservative treatment is possible.
It consists in taking antiviral, immunostimulating and even homeopathic remedies. It is also recommended to take vitamins E, C and A. For inflammation of the papilloma, it is necessary to take antibacterial drugs to neutralize the focus of infection.
But in most cases, doctors recommend surgery. It is called sectoral resection. After it, the recovery period lasts about a week. In this case, neither the shape nor the size of the chest, as a rule, does not change.
Postoperative period and prevention
But do not think that surgical intervention is a panacea. Even after it, relapses are possible. So, the intraductal papilloma of the mammary gland after surgery may appear again if the hormonal balance in the woman’s body has not been restored. Antiviral therapy is also important, since the appearance of papillomas is caused by the activation of the corresponding viral infection.
If you previously neglected the advice that you need to go to a mammologist regularly, now, you should not forget about these preventive examinations. Only in this way can the appearance of new papillomas be revealed in time. In addition to regular visits to the doctor, it is important to learn how to independently examine the chest and carefully monitor your condition. If you follow all these recommendations, then even a newly appeared breast papilloma will be detected on time.