Breast Basics Flashcards
What is a triple breast assessment?
- Clinical assessment
- Imaging assessment
- Needle biopsy
What does each category of the 1-5 scale mean in a breast triple assessment?
1 - Normal 2 - Benign 3 - indeterminate/probably benign 4 - suspicious 5 - malignant
What does the prefix ‘P’ mean in triple assessment?
Palpation
What does the prefix ‘M’ mean in triple assessment?
Mammography
What is the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer?
1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime
What are the 2 main factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer?
- Female gender
2. Increasing age
Which 2 reproductive risk factors increase the risk of developing breast cancer?
- Earlier Menarche
2. HRT use
Which 3 reproductive risk factors reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in women?
- Earlier age at first birth
- Increasing parity
- Longer duration of breastfeeding
What is important to clarify in a breast cancer FHx?
- The age at which family members had breast cancer
- Whether the family members affected are 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree relatives
- How many family members have had breast cancer
What percentage of breast cancer cases have been deemed preventable by Cancer Research?
23%
What are 2 common risk factors for breast cancer that are preventable?
- Excessive alcohol intake
2. Excessive body fat (being overweight)
What is Paget’s disease of the nipple?
A rare form of breast cancer which causes eczema-like changes to the nipple and areola
What percentage of patients suffer from lymphoedema following lymph node clearance after mastectomy?
20%
What are accessory nipples?
Embryonic remnants of the mammary ridge.
What is a mammogram?
An X-Ray of the breasts
What are the 2 views of the breasts that are taken during a mammogram?
- Mediolateral Oblique (MLO)
2. Craniocaudal (CC)
Why are the breasts compressed during a mammogram (4 reasons)?
- This spreads out the glandular tissue of the breast, reducing the risk of missing structures due to an obstructed view
- The compression holds the breasts still to get a clear image
- It allows for uniform exposure
- It reduces the radiation dose to the individual having the mammogram
Which types of tissue makes the mammogram less effective in detecting signs of breast cancer?
Denser breasts with higher proportions of fibroglandular tissue compared to fat
Which women tend to have denser breasts?
Younger women
What imaging is first line in a young woman presenting with a need for breast imaging?
USS of the breasts
From what age is mammogram more commonly used?
Aged 40
Why is gel used under the transducer probe?
This excludes the tiny layer of air between the probe and the skin