Fibrolipoma: What is it? Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Cure and Prognosis of A.Griguolo

Generality

Fibrolipoma is a benign tumor of adipose tissue, belonging to the category of lipomas, which is characterized by a conspicuous presence of fibrous tissue within it.

Despite numerous studies on the subject, the causes of fibrolipoma are still unclear: according to some doctors, this tumor would be the consequence of physical trauma; according to others, it would be related to a sedentary lifestyle; according to others, it would have a genetic origin.

Generally, fibrolipoma does not produce symptoms; but if it is very large and / or grows in delicate areas of the human body, it can cause pain, aesthetic discomfort and / or compression of important organs.

Usually, for the diagnosis of fibrolipoma, a physical examination is sufficient.

As a rule, the fibrolipoma does not require any treatment for its elimination, except when it is painful, is a source of aesthetic discomfort or has the characteristics of liposarcoma, a malignant tumor of adipose tissue.

Short review of what a tumor is

In medicine, the term " tumor " and its synonym " neoplasia " identify a mass of abnormal cells (called insane cells), whose rhythm of division and growth is greater than normal.

A tumor is defined as benign, when the mad cells that constitute it present a rhythm of division and growth moderately higher than normal, and are not very invasive towards the surrounding tissues and blood.

What is Fibrolipoma?

Fibrolipoma is a lipoma - hence a benign tumor of adipose tissue - in which the fibrous component constituting the fibrous capsules, which surround neoplastic cells, is particularly conspicuous.

Being a lipoma, fibrolipoma is a slow-growing tumor (like all benign tumors), small in size, generally harmless and painless, which resides between the skin and muscle tissue.

To better understand Fibrolipoma: what is Lipoma?

Lipoma is a benign tumor of adipose tissue, which originates from the abnormal proliferation of an adipocyte (adipocytes are the cells that form adipose tissue).

Generally harmless, the lipoma appears, when visible, as a cutaneous relief, of a rubbery consistency and painless to the touch. Histologically, it consists of an agglomeration of abnormal adipocytes, surrounded by fibrous tissue capsules (fibrous capsules).

The protagonists of a growth process that can last for years, lipomas are usually formations smaller than 5 centimeters; however, it is possible that they can even measure 10-15 centimeters (giant lipomas).

Although it happens very rarely, lipomas can develop into malignant tumors; when that happens, they become liposarcomas .

Lipomas can develop in any area of the human body; however, they show a preference for the neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, armpits, buttocks and thighs. They can affect both sexes, but occur more often in men than in women.

The detection of lipomas is more frequent in people over the age of 50, although - it is well to point out - the formation of these tumors of adipose tissue can also concern young adults, adolescents and children.

According to reliable statistical studies on the general population, the presence of at least one lipoma would be found in an individual every 1, 000 .

Did you know that ...

About 20% of people with a lipoma develop a similar tumor in another part of the human body.

Causes

The precise causes of fibrolipoma are unknown. On this topic, however, there are various theories:

According to some doctors, fibrolipoma would be the answer to a certain type of physical trauma ;
According to others, it would be a consequence of a sedentary lifestyle ;
According to still others, it would be due to some genetic factor, which predisposes to its development.

For the moment, of the 3 theories mentioned above, the most reliable is the first (ie the one according to which the fibrolipoma would be the result of a physical trauma).

It is important to add to what has been said so far that the formation of fibrolipomas and lipomas is associated with some genetic conditions, such as:

Gardner's syndrome ;
Painful adipose ;
Multiple familial lipomatosis ;
Madelung's disease ;
Cowden's syndrome .

What is the conspicuous amount of Fibrous Tissue in Fibrolipoma?

Doctors describe fibrolipomas as long-standing lipomas.

Over time, in fact, some lipomas are the protagonists of a process in which the thickness of the fibrous tissue making up the fibrous capsules increases.

Symptoms and Complications

As a rule, fibrolipoma is a painless presence, even when subjected to palpation; however, it can happen that it becomes a painful and sometimes even dangerous formation, when it grows out of proportion near nerve endings, compressing them, or near important organs, crushing them.

Fibrolipoma and consequences on the aesthetic aspect

Even when it is not very large, if it grows in aesthetically important areas of the human body, the fibrolipoma can cause strong embarrassment, when the person involved exposes himself to the public.

Characteristics of Fibrolipoma

The fibrolipoma has the same characteristics as the lipoma:

When visible, it is manifested as a palpable skin relief, with a rubbery consistency; it is however possible that
Resides between the skin and muscle tissue. It therefore occupies a subcutaneous position;
It has a very slow growth rate;
Generally, it measures less than 5 centimeters in diameter; however, in some rare situations, its dimensions can exceed abundantly 10 centimeters;
If not removed, it is capable of remaining in place for many years;
It can occur anywhere in the human body, yet it shows a preference for neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, armpits, buttocks and thighs.

Did you know that ...

Larger fibrolipomas can weigh up to 5 kilograms.

Complications

The only complication that can lead to fibrolipoma is its transformation into a malignant tumor of adipose tissue, called liposarcoma.

Fortunately, the chances of fibrolipoma evolving into a liposarcoma are very low; this means that most of the fibrolipomas remain so, without ever changing histologically.

What is a malignant tumor?

A tumor is defined as malignant, when cells that constitute it have a much higher rate of division and growth than normal and are highly invasive (that is, they are capable of affecting the surrounding tissues and spreading throughout the rest of the body, through the blood).

When should I go to the doctor?

Those who have developed a fibrolipoma should monitor the appearance of this tumor periodically, also evaluating the consistency, so as to quickly notice any suspicious change (which, it should be repeated, happens very rarely).

In case of suspected changes, it is advisable to contact your doctor immediately to arrange a check-up.

Among the suspicious changes by a fibrolipoma, they deserve a mention:

Fast increase in the sizes (a normal fibrolipoma grows slowly);
The change of consistency, which from gummy becomes hard;
The appearance of pain to the touch;
Tumor growth, despite surgical removal.

Diagnosis

In general, to make the diagnosis of fibrolipoma, the doctors use only the objective examination, for the accuracy of the visual (or inspection) phase of the physical examination.

More rarely - specifically when they have doubts about what has been detected through the physical examination - they need more in-depth tests, such as tumor biopsy, ultrasound, CT and / or MRI .

Tumor biopsy on a fibrolipoma is the diagnostic test that allows to accurately establish the type of tumor present and its nature.

It is essential to recognize fibrolipomas that have evolved into fibrosarcomas.

Therapy

Generally, the fibrolipoma does not require any therapy for its elimination / removal, except when:

It is large to the point that it compresses some nerve endings or some organ, producing pain;
It has some features that suggest its evolution in a malicious sense (eg: it grows rapidly, it is hard, etc.);
It resides in an anatomical area that is a source of embarrassment, at the time of presenting itself in public.