Question | Answer |
What area of the breasts are most masses found? | tail of Spence |
gynecomastia | enlarged breast tissue in males, usually temporary and unilateral |
What type of family history increases a person's risk for breast cancer? | Mother, sister, or daughter having breast cancer |
Does a monthly breast self-exam prevent breast cancer? | Breast self-exams do NOT prevent disease; only helps for early detection |
When should a woman who is still menstruating perform a breast self exam? Why? | 4-7 days after period; it is a period of time with the least amount of hormones |
When should menopausal or pregnant woman perform a breast self exam? | Anytime of the month; best to stick to the same day monthly |
For women ages 20-39, when should they perform a BSE and get a CBE? | Monthly BSE and CBE every 3 years |
What is cyclic pain? | Breast pain realated to menstrual cycle |
What is mastalgia? What does it occur with? (4) | Breast pain that occurs with trauma, inflammation, infection, and benign breast disease |
Why do you palpate the breasts? | Check for lumps |
Identify the 3 methods for palpating breasts. | 3 patterns: Vertical strip, spokes-on-a-wheel, concentric-circles |
What could cause lymph nodes to enlarge? (4) | Local infection of the breasts, arms, or hand, and with breast cancer metastases |
For women over 40, what are the recommendations for BSE, CBE, and mammograms? | Perform BSE, with an annual mammogram and an annual CBE conducted close to the same time |
What does CBE stand for? | Clinical breast exam |
supernumerary nipple | an extra nipple along the embryonic “milkline” on the thorax and abdomen is a congenital findingsupe |
What condition gives the skin and orange peel book? | Edema; the orange-peel look is called peau d'orange |
Why is it important to distinguish between a recently retracted nipple then from on the has been diverted for years? | Recent nipple retraction signifies acquired disease |
How do you screen for breast retraction? (3) | (1) Lift arms slowly over head; (2) put hands on hips; (3) Push palms together |
What are possible causes for breast retraction? | Fibrosis in the breast tissue, usually caused by growing neoplasms |
neoplasm | new and abnormal growth of tissue in some part of the body, esp. as a characteristic of cancer |
nulliparous | of, relating to, or being a female that has not borne offspring |
Describe the breast tissue in nulliparous women. | Firm, smooth, elastic |
What signs indicate inflammation in non-lactating and non-postpartum breasts? | Heat, redness, swelling |
Premenstrual engorgement is normal from ________. | Increasing progesterone |
Excect in _____ and ______, discharge is abnormal. | pregnancy and lactation |
What should you note about discharge? (5) | Amount of discharge droplets, quadrant(s) producing them, color, presence of blood, consistency |
What is the bimanual technique and who is it used for? | Use bimanual technique for large breasts; Sitting up-right, lean forward, palpate breast against supporting hand |
Identify the 10 characteristics you should note about a lump. | Location, size, shape, consistency, movable, distinctness, nipple status, skin, tenderness, lymphadenopathy |
premature thelarche | early breast development with no other hormone-dependent signs |
At what stage is a mass almost always a benign fibroadenoma or a cyst? | Maturing adolescents |
fibroadenoma | benign and movable and firm and non-tender tumor of the breast |
cyst | in the body, a membranous sac or cavity (of abnormal character) containing fluid |
Females older than _____ have an increased risk for breast cancer. | 50 years old |
How would you document the location of a breast lump? | Use breast as a clock and describe distance from nipple (e.g. 2:00, 2 cm from nipple) |
About ____ percent of women have some form of benign breast disease. | 50% |
Why aren't mammograms recommended for females in their 20-30s? | Younger females have more dense breast tissue, older age thins the breast tissue |
Cancer causes fibrosis, which ____________, thus causing the dimpling. | contracts suspensory ligaments |
peau d'orange | (lymphatic obstruction produces edema, exaggerating the hair follicles giving the orange peel look |
Identify the 6 diagnostic categories for benign breast disease. | (1) swelling and tenderness; (2) mastalgia, (3) nodularity; (4) dominant lumps; (5) nipple dishcarge; (6) infection, inflammation |
duct ectasia | lactiferous duct becomes blocked or clogged |
mastitis | inflammatory, tender, red, hard mass; usually an infection or stasis
of a plugged duct during breastfeeding |
A lump larger than _____ is a sign of breast cancer. | > 1 cm |
Round/oval lump is _______. Irregular/jagged/star-shaped is ______. | Round/oval lump is BENIGN. Irregular/jagged/star-shaped is MALIGNANT. |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: soft mass. | Benign |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: soft-firm mass. | Malignant |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: movable. | Benign |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: not movable. | Malignant |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: > 1 cm. | Malignant |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: recent nipple retraction. | Malignant |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: distinct borders. | Benign |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: growing lump. | Malignant |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: multiple lumps. | Benign |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: single lump. | Malignant |
Identify if the following is a benign or malignant: skin retraction. | Malignant |
Identify the 7 s/s of mastitis. | Headache, malaise, fever, chills, sweating, increased pulse, flu-like symptoms |
Most malignant breast cancers occur in this region of the breast: ________. | Upper outer quadrant |
Normal changes in the breasts of premenstrual women include _______. | tenderness, soft, mobile cysts |
Where is the tail of Spence located? | Upper outer quadrant, toward the axilla |
Gynecomastia occurs in ________ because the liver is unable to metabolize estrogens. | liver cirrhosis |