Nipple adenoma

Introduction: Nipple adenomas are rare benign neoplasms that closely mimic malignant disease. They arise from lactiferous ducts and milk sinuses. A retrospective review of nipple adenomas at our institution from 1992 to 2010 was performed with review of pathology, radiographic studies and clinical histories. Methods and Results: Twelve patients with a nipple adenoma were identified. Mean age at diagnosis was 58.5 years (range 43-76). Ten women (83%) were symptomatic. Symptoms included nipple discharge (58.3%), palpable lesions (50%), and ulcerative skin changes (25%). Workup included mammography (12), ultrasound (8) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (1). The lesion size ranged from 0.4-1.5 cm (mean 0.7 cm). Four patients had complete nipple excision, six had partial nipple excision, one had removal via percutaneous biopsy, and one had a mastectomy for history of breast cancer. With 38.3 months follow-up, 3 women (25%) had a diagnosis of breast cancer prior to or after diagnosis of nipple adenoma, and there has been 1 recurrence of nipple adenoma. Discussion: Nipple adenoma is a rare condition with non-specific presentation. Diagnosis is usually made by complete surgical excision. It is important to differentiate these lesions from malignancy. Although no clear correlation has been shown between nipple adenoma and breast cancer, further investigation is warranted.