Abstract
A 35 year old woman presents with a 1 cm hard lump in the upper outer quadrant of her right breast. She first noticed this when she was in the shower three months ago. She is worried that the lump might be malignant.
What you should cover
Breast lumps are common and have a variety of causes. Although most lumps are not malignant, any abnormal changes to the breasts need to be reviewed as soon as possible. Refer patients to a breast clinic where triple assessment can be performed and the lump fully investigated. It is often difficult to make a definitive diagnosis on clinical history and examination alone. Many patients who are referred for specialist assessment will be found not to have cancer.
What you should cover
Breast lumps are common and have a variety of causes. Although most lumps are not malignant, any abnormal changes to the breasts need to be reviewed as soon as possible. Refer patients to a breast clinic where triple assessment can be performed and the lump fully investigated. It is often difficult to make a definitive diagnosis on clinical history and examination alone. Many patients who are referred for specialist assessment will be found not to have cancer.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 5275 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | BMJ |
| Volume | 349 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 5 Sep 2014 |
Keywords
- CANCER
- WOMEN
- RISK
- AGE
