(10) Breasts and Axillae Flashcards
Female Breast location
- lies against anterior thoracic wall
- extends from clavicle and 2nd rib down to 6th rib & from sternum across to midaxillary line
- surface usually rectangular instead of round
- overlies pectorals muscle and inferior margin of serrates anterior
how to describe breast clinical finding location
- 4 quadrants + tail of spence (axillary tail of breast tissue)
- face of a clock + cm distance from nipple
Male Breast
- consists chiefly of small nipple + areola overlying a thin disc of undeveloped breast tissue consisting primarily of ducts
- ductal branching and development of lobules are minimal b/c lack estrogen & progesterone stimulation
- difficult to distinguish male breast tissue from surrounding muscles of chest wall
- firm button of breast tissue 2cm or more in 1:3 adult men
Gynocomastia
- benign breast enlargement in men
- proliferation of palpable glandular tissue
- breast tissue often tender
- not risk factor for cancer
Pseudogynecomastia
accumulation of subareolar fat
Causes of gynocomastia
increased estrogen
decreased testosterone
medication side effects
most lymphatic vessels of the breast drain into:
axillary lymph nodes
most lymphatic vessels of the breast drain into ?
which of these are most likely to be palpable?
axillary lymph nodes
palpable = central nodes (lie along chest wall, usually high in axilla and midway between anterior and posterior folds
3 groups of breast lymph notes that drain into central nodes and are seldom palpable:
- pectoral nodes - anterior: located along lower border of pectorals major inside the anterior axillary fold; drain anterior chest wall and much of breast
- sub scapular nodes - posterior: located along lateral border of scapula; palpated deep in posterior axillary fold; drain posterior chest wall and portion of arm
- lateral nodes: located along upper humerus; drain most of arm
lymph drains from the central axillary nodes to the ? and ?
infraclavicular and supraclavicular nodes
do all lymphatics of the breast drain into the axilla?
no, malignant cells from a breast cancer may spread directly to the infraclavicular nods or into the internal mammary chain of lymph nodes within the chest
Breasts: common or concerning symptoms
breast lump or mass
breast discomfort or pain
nipple discharge
Breast lump reports: ID?
precise location
how long present
change in size or variation within menstrual cycle
Breast Pain (Mastalgia)
most common breast symptoms prompting office visits
breast pain alone w/o mass isn’t breast cancer risk factor
determine if pain is diffuse or focal (focal - may merit diagnostic imaging), cyclic or noncylic, rated to medications
Breast health history: symptom ask
lumps (50% have palpable lumps/nodularity)
discomfort (premenstrual enlargement and tenderness are common)
pain
change in breast contour, dimpling, swelling, puckering of skin over breast
nipple discharge
medications associated with breast pain
hormonal therapy
psychotropic drugs: SSRIs and Haldol
spironolactone
digoxin
Nipple discharge: health history
when it occurs
spontaneous or after nipple compression
- if spontaneous: color (brown, milky, greenish, bloody), consistency, quantity
unilateral or bilateral
causes of Physiologic nipple hypersecretion
pregnancy lactation chest wall stimulation sleep stress
physiologic nipple discharge is usually:
bilateral
multi ductal
prompted by stimulation
ranges in color from white to yellowish or greenish
Galactorrhea
discharge of milk-containing fluid unrelated to pregnancy or lactation
more likely to be pathologic when bloody or serous, unilateral, spontaneous, associated with mass, occurs in women >40
Breasts: important topics for health promotion and counseling
palpable masses of the breast
assessing risk of breast cancer
breast cancer screening
Palpable masses of breast: age 15-25
common lesion = fibroadenoma
characteristics = usually smooth, rubbery, round, mobile, nontender
palpable masses of breast: age 25-50
Cysts - usually soft to firm, round, mobile, often tender
fibrocystic changes - nodular, ropelike
cancer - irregular, firm, may be mobile or fixed to surrounding tissue
palpable masses of breast: age over 50
cancer until proven otherwise
palpable masses of breast: pregnancy
lactating adenomas
cysts
mastitis
cancer
most important risk factor for breast cancer is ?
age
non modifiable risk factors for breast cancer
family history or breast/ovarian cancer
inherited genetic mutations
personal hx of breast cancer or lobular carcinoma in situ
high levels of endogenous hormones
breast tissue density
proliferative lesions with atypic on breast biopsy
duration of unopposed estrogen exposure related to early menarche
age of first full term pregnancy
late menopause
modifiable risk factors for breast cancer
hx of radiation to chest DES exposure breastfeeding <1 yr postmenopausal obesity use or HRT cigarette smoking ETOH physical inactivity type of contraception
Male breast cancer
peaks 60-70 y/o
low incidence: primarily in situ and local-stage tumors
higher incidence: age, black, radiation exposure, BRCA1/2 mutations, Klinefelter syndrome, testicular disorders, family hx, ETOH, cirrhosis, obesity
Risk assessment tools for breast cancer risk
Gail Model & Claus Model (most common) BRCAPRO model (predicts risk of BRCA1or2)
Gail Model
breast cancer risk assessment tool
provides 5 year and lifetime estimates of risk of invasive breast cancer
incorporates age, race, 1st degree relative w/ breast CA, previous breast biopsy and presence of hyperplasia, age at menarche, age at first delivery
best used for >50y/o, no family hx (or just 1 relative w/ hx), get annual screening mammograms
not used for women w/ breast CA hx, radiation exposure, <35y/o
doesn’t determine risk of noninvasive breast CA, paternal dz hx, 2nd degree relatives, age of onset of dz
Claus Model
breast cancer screening tool:
asses risk for high-risk women and incorporates family hx for both female/male 1st and 2nd degree relatives including age of onset
based on current age
expanded version includes family hx ovarian CA
doesn’t include personal, lifestyle, reproductive risk factors
BRCAPRO
breast cancer screening tool for high risk women to assess risk of BRCA1 &2 mutation in a family
incorporates BRCA1/2 mutation frequencies, CA penetration in affected carriers, age of onset in 1st/2nd degree relatives
doesn’t include nonhereditary factors
family history: high risk factors for familial breast cancer
- <50 y/o age of diagnosis
- breast CA in 2 or more individuals in same lineage (paternal or maternal)
- multiple primary or ovarian tumors in 1 person
- breast CA in male relative
- Ashkenazi Jew
- family member w/ known predisposing general (including Li-Fraumeni and Cowden syndromes)
- start screening in 20s
Types of Benign Breast Lesions:
nonproliferation changes - cysts, ductal ectasia, mild hyperplasia, simple fibroadenoma, mastitis, granuloma, diabetic mastopahty
- no increased risk of breast CA
proliferative without atypia - ductal hyperplasia, complex fibroadenoma, papilloma
- small increased risk breast CA
proliferative with atypia - atypical ductal hyperplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia
- moderate increased risk breast CA