3. Carcinoma of the female breast.(Clinical picture and investigations) Flashcards
Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Symptoms
* Examination
Symptoms in Clinical picture of breast cancer
1- Mass : (commonest presentation)
2- Discharge per nipple :
3- Paget’s disease of the nipple.
4- Mastitis carcinomatosa.
5- Occult presentation :
6- Pain (10%)
Mass in Symptoms in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- The commonest presentation
* Accidentally discovered painless mass in the breast
The commonest presentation of breast cancer
Accidentally discovered painless mass in the breast
Discharge per nipple in Symptoms in Clinical picture of breast cancer
Bloody commonly
or
thick greenish discharge
Clinical picture of Paget’s disease of the nipple in Symptoms in Clinical picture of breast cancer
Usually occurs at menopause [6th decade]
Pricking sensation of the nipple with erosions & ulcerations
Clinical picture of Mastitis carcinomatosa in Symptoms in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Occurs mostly during pregnancy and lactation (due to high hormonal level)
- but may occur at any age unassociated with these events.
- The overlying skin is red, warm & Swollen.
Occult presentation in Symptoms in Clinical picture of breast cancer
1- Dry irritative cough, haemoptysis & dyspnea.
2- Pathological fracture
3- Malignant jaundice or ascites.
Pathogenesis of Pain in Symptoms in Clinical picture of breast cancer
most of breast cancer is painless but pain occurs in
10%
1- Advanced cases after extensive local infiltration.
2- Mastitis carcinomatosa.
Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- General Examination
* Local Examination
General Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
Searching for signs suggestive of metastases:
1- Sclera examination
2- Chest examination
3- Abdominal examination
4- P.R. examination
5- Spine examination
The reason why we do Sclera examination in General Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
for Jaundice
The reason why we do Chest examination in General Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
for pleural effusion.
The reason why we do Abdominal examination in General Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
for liver nodules, ascites or umbilical nodules.
The reason why we search for ascitis in Abdominal examination in General Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
as liver secondaries cause ascitis
The reason why we do P.R examination in General Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
for peritoneal nodules and Douglas pouch
The reason why we do Spine examination in General Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
for bony metastasis.
Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Inspection
* Palpation
Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Dimpling
2.Puckering.
3.Nipple Retraction - Peau d’orange
- Cancerous skin nodules (Sure sign of malignancy).
- Cancer en cuirasse (historical)
7- Medullary carcinoma.
8- Paget’s disease of nipple.
9- Mastitis carcinomatosa.
10- Dilated veins over the skin of the breast.
11- Lymphoedema of the arm.
Dimpling in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Pathogenesis of Dimpling
- The reason why it’s Not pathognomonic
- Significance
Pathogenesis of Dimpling in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
Contracture of Cooper’s ligaments
The attachments of cooper’s ligament
Between breast and pectoralis major muscle
The reason why Dimpling, in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer, is Not pathognomonic
as it can occur in any fibrotic process e.g. chronic breast abscess & duct ectasia.
Significance of Dimpling in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
The earliest skin sign of breast cancer
Meaning of Puckering in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
Gathered into wrinkles or folds
Karmasha
Nipple Retraction in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Pathogenesis
* The reason why it’s Not pathognomonic
Pathogenesis of Nipple Retraction in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
Infiltration and contracture of the main milk ducts
The reason why Nipple Retraction, in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer, is Not pathognomonic
it can occur in any fibrotic lesion entangling the main milk ducts e.g. chronic breast abscess & duct ectasia.
peau d’orange in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Definition
- Pathogenesis
- The reason why it’s Not pathognomonic
Definition of peau d’orange in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
It is a condition in which we get thick non-pitting edematous skin pitted at sites of hair follicles, sebaceous & sweat glands.
Pathogenesis of peau d’orange in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
due to obliteration & compression of the lymphatics of the skin by the tumour
The reason why peau d’orange, in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer, is Not pathognomonic
as it can occur in any fibrotic mass causing obliteration & compression of the lymphatics of the skin
one of the following is pathognomonic for breast cancer:
- Dimpling
- Puckering
- Nipple retraction
- peau d’orange
- Cancerous skin nodules
Cancerous skin nodules
Cancerous skin nodules in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Definition
- Pathogenesis
- Significance
Definition of Cancerous skin nodules in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
They are Nodules may appear away from the mother carcinoma.
Pathogenesis of Cancerous skin nodules in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
Retrograde lymphatic permeation.
Significance of Cancerous skin nodules in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- They are specific & diagnostic
* Sure sign of malignancy
Cancer en cuirasse in Inspection in Local Examination in Clinical picture of breast cancer
- Significance
* Morphology