Anorexia is a medical term for a loss of appetite. While the term in non-scientific publications is often used interchangeably with anorexia nervosa, many possible causes exist for a loss of appetite, some of which may be harmless, while others indicate a serious clinical condition or pose a significant risk. Anorexia is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Anorexia is not to be confused with the mental health disorder anorexia nervosa. Because the term anorexia is often used as a short-form of anorexia nervosa, to avoid confusion a provider must clarify to a patient whether they are simply referring to a decreased appetite or the  mental health disorder. Anyone can manifest anorexia as a loss of appetite, regardless of their gender, age, or weight. The symptom also occurs in other animals, such as cats, dogs, cattle, goats, and sheep. In these species, anorexia may be referred to as inappetence. As in humans, loss of appetite can be due to a range of diseases and conditions, as well as environmental and psychological factors. Etymology
The term is from Ancient Greek: ανορεξία (ἀν-, without + όρεξις, spelled órexis, meaning appetite). Common manifestations
Anorexia simply manifests as a decreased or loss of appetite. This can present as not feeling hungry or lacking the desire to eat. Sometimes people do not even notice they lack an appetite until they begin to lose weight from eating less. In other cases, it can be more noticeable, such as when a person becomes nauseated from just the thought of eating.
This biplasia can be arranged in two growth patterns: pericanalicular (stromal proliferation around epithelial structures) and intracanalicular (stromal proliferation compressing the epithelial structures into clefts). These tumors characteristically display hypovascular stroma compared to malignant neoplasms. Furthermore, the epithelial proliferation appears in a single terminal ductal unit and describes duct-like spaces surrounded by a fibroblastic stroma. The basement membrane is intact. Molecular pathology
Up to 66% of fibroadenomas harbor mutations in the exon (exon 2) of the mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) gene. In particular, these mutations are restricted to the stromal component. Diagnosis
A fibroadenoma is usually diagnosed through clinical examination, ultrasound or mammography, and often a biopsy sample of the lump. Suspicious findings on imaging may result in a person needing a biopsy in order to gain a definitive diagnosis. There are three types of biopsies: Fine-needle aspiration, core-needle biopsy and surgical biopsy. The method of biopsy depends on the appearance, size and location of the breast mass. Treatment
Fibroadenomas can be expected to shrink naturally and so, most are simply monitored. Monitoring fibroadenomas involves regular check-ups to make sure that the breast mass is not growing and is not potentially cancerous. Check-ups involve physical examinations performed every 3–6 months and optional diagnostic imaging performed every 6–12 months for 1–2 years. Generally, surgery is only recommended if the fibroadenoma gets larger or causes increased symptoms. They are removed with a small margin of normal breast tissue if the preoperative clinical investigations are suggestive of the necessity of this procedure.