title: Tubular adenoma of the breast: a rare presentation and review of the literature.
abstract: Tubular adenomas, also known as pure adenomas, are rare epithelial tumors of the breast. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature, especially in young women of reproductive age. Postmenopausal women are very rarely affected. We describe here a very rare case of tubular breast adenoma in a postmenopausal woman who presented with a gradually enlarging breast lump. Clinical examination and imaging studies revealed a non-tender well circumscribed left breast tumor suggestive of a fibroadenoma. Due to the history of progressive enlargement of the breast lump, a surgical excision was performed. Histological findings were suggestive of a tubular breast adenoma. We conclude that although tubular breast adenoma is rare, it should always be considered in the differential diagnosis in postmenopausal patients presenting with a gradually enlarging breast mass. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult because tubular adenoma is indistinguishable from a fibroadenoma on physical examination and breast imaging. Surgical excision is necessary to establish a definitive diagnosis. Clinical presentation and management of our patient are discussed along with a review of the literature.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Tubular adenoma; Breast; Breast mass.
authors.affiliation: Breast Surgery Unit, Army General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Salemis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gemenetzis
authors.forename: Gregorios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karagkiouzis
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seretis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sapounas
authors.forename: Vlasios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsantilas
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sambaziotis
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lagoudianakis