Lipomas

• Lipomas:

  • Non-cancerous tumour made up of fat cells
  • Grows slowly over years under the skin the the subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis)
  • Can have single or multiple lipomas
  • Very common
• Demographics:

  • Occur in all ages
  • Tend to develop in adulthood and most noticeable during middle age
• Causes:

  • Unknown
  • May be genetic component
  • Sometimes appear following injury e.g. blunt force trauma
• Clinical exam:

  • Egg shaped lump around 2-10cm diameter (can be larger)
  • Feels soft, smooth and mobile
  • May have rubbery or doughy consistency
  • Most common on shoulders, neck, trunk, arms (can occur anywhere fat tissue is present)
  • Majority are symptomatic but some can be painful when applying pressure
• Diagnosis:

  • Clinical diagnosis
  • Liposarcoma is a very rare fatty cancer - most common on the thigh, groin, back of the abdomen (retroperitoneum) - suspect if lipoma is enlarging quickly or painful - refer for biopsy
• Management:

  • Usually no treatment needed - eventually stop growing and then persist asymptomatically
  • If causing bothersome symptoms consider surgical removal