Adenosis, pronounced (A-deh-NOH-sis), refers to a disease or abnormal change within a gland.
Understanding Adenosis
Adenosis broadly indicates an issue with a gland. Let's break down what that means and provide a specific example:
- Glands: These are organs that produce and release substances like hormones, enzymes, or sweat.
- Abnormal Change: In the context of adenosis, this implies that the gland is not functioning as it should or has undergone structural changes. These changes are not always cancerous (benign) but still are considered an issue or abnormality.
Breast Adenosis as an Example
A common example of adenosis is found in the breast:
- Breast Adenosis: This benign condition is characterized by an enlargement of the breast lobules (the milk-producing glands). This means the glands are bigger than normal.
- It's important to remember that while it's an abnormal change, breast adenosis is not cancerous.
Key Takeaways
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | A disease or abnormal change in a gland |
| Common Example | Breast adenosis - enlarged lobules (milk-producing glands) within the breast |
| Important Note | It is often benign and does not indicate cancer. |
Therefore, adenosis is a broad term referring to abnormal gland changes, with breast adenosis being one common example where the milk-producing glands are larger than usual.
