On 30/11/02 1:00 PM, "Automatic digest processor"
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I have searched the archives for this type of tumor and came up with nothing.
> Does anyone know about this?  Had a mom deliver today that had several
> surgeries one year ago for 8 of these and have her permission to post this to
> get a better breastfeeding perspective.  I looked on some sites on the web and
> it looks like they can be benign but if cancerous are spread by the blood and
> go directly to other organs.  She says hers were benign. She had bleeding from
> the ducts originally which led them to diagnose these, then removed them
> surgically.  The surgical site is about 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock across the
> upper section of her areola and about an inch scar to the left of the areola
> on the breast tissue.  Her nipple has decreased elasticity and very flat.  She
> said that breast was always smaller but they did take out "alot" of tissue
> with the surgery. She reports no breast changes on that side with pregnancy.
> The other breast is perfectly normal and the baby is doing well on tha
> t side so I am not worried about her breastfeeding per se.  I would just like
> to know more about these tumors.  If she does produce milk in that side, I am
> also concerned about ductal damage and milk transfer problems.  Will be an
> interesting case to follow!
> Denise Stuart, RN, BSN, IBCLC

 Phyllodes tumor is sometimes called  a "worrisome fibroadenoma". If it
metastasizes, it will be as a sarcoma. But most patients do not develop
metastases.
Pathologists are now reporting these as "benign" or "malignant" (the latter
can metastasize as the corresponding sarcoma).
"Phyllodes" means "leaves", referring to the artichoke-like appearance of
many of these tumors.
When they excise these they can take a very wide margin as this
significantly reduces the risk of reoccurrence, so she may have had a large
amount of breast tissue removed. She may, as you say, certainly have
problems with drainage of the segments affected, as with any breast surgery,
I guess depending on how much glandular tissue is left, and how many ducts
have been severed. She may find it better to allow this breast to involute
if she encounters too many problems.

Cathy Fetherston CM, MSc IBCLC
Perth, Western Australia

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