1. APPROACH TO A PATIENT
WITH BREAST LUMP
PRESENTED
By
SALAMI ERNEST OSEMUDIAMEN
To
THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE, I.S.T.H,
IRRUA
2. OUTLINE
Introduction
Anatomy & Physiology of the breast
Epidemiology
Pathophysiology
Etiologies/Differential diagnosis
Other Symptoms of Breast disease
Approach to the Patient – Triple Assessment
Baseline Investigations
Staging of Breast Cancer
Treatment
Conclusion
References
3. INTRODUCTION
A breast lump is a localized swelling, knot, bump,
bulge or protuberance in the breast.
Breast lumps may appear in both sexes at all ages.
In women, it may be due to infection, trauma,
fibroadenoma, cyst, fibrocystic conditions, or could
even be due to a more serious medical condition
such as cancer
The commonest cause of a breast lump in males is
gynaecomastia
No breast lump should be dismissed as benign until
it has been checked by a physician
4. ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BREAST
The breast (or mammary gland) is a modified apocrine sweat
gland that is rudimentary in males but well developed in
females.
Anatomy Of The Female Breast
Surface Anatomy
5. Position
2/3 rests on P. major
1/3 rests on Serratus
anterior
Lower medial edge
overlaps the Rectus
sheath
Horizontal Extent: MAL
laterally to the Sternal
edge medially
Vertical Extent: 2nd-6th
Ribs
9. Lymphatic Drainage: By Quadrants;
UOQ + Upper part of LOQ Axillary lymph nodes
UIQ + Upper part of LIQ Parasternal lymph nodes
Lower part of LOQ + Lower part of LIQ Abdominal
nodes
10. Breast Physiology:
The breasts are poorly developed in males and
females until puberty when pituitary and ovarian
hormones influence the female breast development
usually owing to accumulation of adipocytes
It produces breast milk that is essential for infant
feeding
Milk let-down reflex is important for this
11. EPIDEMIOLOGY
Frequency
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly
diagnosed cancer in women. It accounts for
approximately 1 in 4 cancers diagnosed in women
Breast infections: 10-33% of lactating women
Lactating mastitis: 2-3% of lactating women
Breast abscess: 5-10% of women with mastitis
Mortality/Morbidity
1 in 28 women(3.6%) die of breast cancer
Increased morbidity may occur in breast abscess
especially when it becomes recurrent, chronic, painful or
scarring
12. Race
Before age 40 – African women have a higher incidence
After age 40 – White women have a higher incidence
Sex
99% of breast cancers occur in females and 1% in males
Gynaecomastia is found exclusively in males
Age
Breast cancer – Ages 40 and above
Fubroadenoma – Ages 15-35
Breast infections – Ages 18-50
Benign mammary dysplasia – Ages 20-45
Access to Care
15. OTHER SYMPTOMS OF BREAST
DISEASE
Apart from breast lump, there are other symptoms of
breast pathology. These symptoms may also be
associated with a breast lump in the same patient.
They include:
Breast pain
Nipple discharge
Nipple/Areolar deformity e.g. nipple retraction
Metastatic features e.g. Paraplegia, Jaundice,
Breathlessness
16. APPROACH TO THE PATIENT
The gold standard for the evaluation of a breast lump is the Triple
Assessment which consists of:
Clinical assessment
Imaging techniques
Tissue biopsy
Its diagnostic accuracy approaches 100%
18. HISTORY
Important Biodata
Sex
Age
Tribe/Race
Marital status
Common Presenting Complaints: Breast lump
with/without
Nipple discharge
Nipple/Areolar deformity
Change in breast size
Metastatic features e.g. Paraplegia, Jaundice,
Breathlessnes, etc
19. History of Presenting Complaints
Symptom (Complaint) Analysis & Course
Breast lump
Breast pain
Change in breast size
Nipple discharge
Nipple retraction
History of Etiology (Cause)
New Growth
Genetic
Infection
Trauma
Tuberculosis
Drugs
20. History of Complications
Weight loss
Aorexia
Bone pains, Low back pain, Pathological fractures
Dyspnoea
Cough with haemoptysis
Jaundice
Ulceration
Seizures
Headache
Paraplegia
History of Care
Other parts of the History
21. EXAMINATION
Breast Examination: Introduction & Consent, Chaperone, Exposure
Inspection: Done in the Sitting Position; Inspect for:
Breast;
Positioning
Symmetry, size, shape compared to the other breast
Visible mass, location
Skin over breast
Colour & texture
Dilated veins
Peau d’ orange, dimpling
Nodules
Ulceration
Fungating mass
Nipple
Retracted or destroyed
Symmetry; elevated or deviated
Number, size & shape
Surface; cracks or fissures, ulcer
Discharge; check under cloth
23. Palpation: Position is semi recumbent(45 degrees)
Breast lump: Site, Temperature, Tenderness, Shape, Size, Surface,
Margin, Consistency, Fluctuancy, Fixity to Skin, Breast tissue, underlying
Fascia/Muscle & Chest wall
Nipple & surrounding area:
For retracted nipple, try everting
Feel for any mass deep to the nipple
Press the breast segments & areola for nipple discharge; note nature
& colour
Axillae & Supraclavicular fossae: Enlarged lymph nodes: Number, Size,
Tenderness, Consistency, Fixity, Matting
24. Systemic Examination
General examination: Cachexia, Jaundice, Pallor,
Lymphadenopathy
Abdominal examination: Hepatomegaly, usually nodular
Chest examination: Dyspnoea, Added sounds, Signs of pleural
effusion
Lumbar spine: Tenderness, Swelling & Depression
Bones: Tenderness in the ribs, sternum, pelvis, long bones
Interpretation
Benign masses
No skin changes
Smooth & mobile
25. Soft or firm in consistency
Well defined margins, fibroadenosis however, usually has ill
defined edges
No associated lymphadenopathy
Malignant masses
Hard & immobile
May be fixed to surrounding structures
Poorly defined or irregular margins
Nipple retraction, skin dimpling & peau d’orange
Lymphadenopathy usually present, with hard or matted nodes
Infections e.g. mastitis
Signs of inflammation
Tender and firm enlarged lymph nodes
TB – lymph nodes may be matted
31. MAMMOGRAPHY
Indications:
Screening – Every 1-2 years for women ages 50-69
Metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown primary
Nipple discharge without palpable mass
Mammogram findings indicative of malignancy:
Stellate appearance & Spiculated border is
pathogonomic of breast cancer
Microcalcifications, ill defined lesion border
Lobulation, Architectural distortion
32.
33. ULTRASONOGRAPHY
Best initial test in women less than 35 years of age
with breast lump
Performed primarily to differentiate cystic from solid
lesions
Not diagnostic
34. HISTOLOGICAL/CYTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
The diagnosis of breast cancer
depends on examination of
tissues(histology) or
cells(cytology) removed on
biopsy
Biopsy can be
Needle biopsy
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy
Core-needle biopsy
Open biopsy
Incisional biopsy
Excisional biopsy
36. INVESTIGATIONS FOR STAGING
BREAST CANCER
Chest X-ray
Abdominopelvic ultrasound scan
Skeletal bone survey
Bone scan
LFT
Mammography of opposite breast
FNAC of contralateral axillary lymph nodes
CA 15-3/CEA
37. STAGING OF BREAST CANCER
TNM Staging of Breast Cancer
T – Primary Tumour
Tis: carcinoma in situ
T0: tumour not palpable
T1: tumour size less than 2cm diameter
T2: tumour size 2-5cm
T3: tumour size >5cm
T4: any size with skin and underlying tissue
involvement
a – underlying muscle involved
b – skin involvement
c – both involved
38. N – Regional Lymph Nodes
N0: no palpable ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes
N1: palpable discrete mobile axillary ipsilateral lymph
nodes
N2: matted fixed ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes
N3: ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes,
lympoedema of ipsilateral arm
M – Distant Metastasis
M0: no evidence of metastasis
M1: distant metastasis present
Mx: indeterminate metastasis, need to do more
investigations
T2N1M0 & below Early dx
T3N2M1 & above Late dx
40. CONCLUSION
Although, fortunately, most breast lumps usually turn out to be
benign, a thorough assessment is necessary so as not to miss
the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of a very serious
medical condition most especially a carcinoma.
Early detection of breast cancer is the key to cure, hence
females are advised on self examination of their breasts at least
once monthly in order to catch early any disease that may be
springing up
41. REFERENCES
Browse’s Introduction to Symptoms & Signs of
Surgical Dusease 5e:Kevin G Burnand et al
Clinical Surgery Tutorial Manual; Omoigiade Ernest
Udefiagbon
Last’s Anatomy 12e; Chummy S. Sinnatamby
Principles & Practice of Surgery 4e; E.A. Badoe et
al
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