A lipoma is a benign tumor that develops from fatty tissue or fat cells (adipocytes). It is usually enclosed in a capsule of connective tissue, which means that it is well separated from the surrounding tissue and therefore easily slidable. Lipomas are counted among the group of soft tissue tumors.
They are usually located in the subcutaneous fatty tissue directly under the skin or subcutaneously (sub: underneath; cutis: skin). Sometimes, however, they may also be located in internal organs or muscles. There too, they merely represent a benign growth of the fatty tissue. If several lipomas occur simultaneously in different parts of the body, this is known as lipomatosis.
Causes
The causes for the development of lipomas are as yet unexplained. A connection to fat metabolism illnesses such as diabetes mellitus or a hypercholesterolemia (increased cholesterol values) could not be scientifically proven so far. In the context of certain hereditary diseases, lipomas can occur, but then usually spread over the whole body as for example in the case of the lipomatosis dolorosa or the neurofibromatosis.
In contrast to isolated lipomas, lipomas in these diseases are usually painful or accompanied by further complications. A rare form of lipomatosis is the so-called Madelung syndrome. This is a symmetrical increase in the fat tissue in the neck, neck and shoulder area.
This disease mostly occurs in middle-aged men, but the causes of its occurrence are still largely unexplained. Only the connection to increased consumption of alcohol is discussed. Another cause of a lipoma in the neck can be a so-called granular cell lipoma. The term hybernoma is used synonymously. This is the proliferation of brown adipose tissue, which originates from the early embryonic period and occurs primarily in adults.
Frequency
There are no exact figures for the frequency of occurrence of lipomas, but it is a rather common disease. It is estimated that two to three of every 100 people are affected. These are usually between 30 and 60 years old.
Lipomas do not occur frequently in children. In principle, lipomas can occur anywhere where fatty tissue is naturally present. They are often located in the trunk area such as the shoulders, back, flanks or abdomen.
But isolated lipomas can also often occur in the head, neck, arms and legs. Overall, men are affected slightly more frequently than women when lipomas are considered as a whole. An exception are certainly lipomas in the breast area, since men naturally have less fatty tissue than women.
