| familial breast cancer | <oncology> A number of factors have been identified that increase the risk of breast cancer. One of the strongest of these risk factors is the history of breast cancer in a relative. About15-20% of women with breast cancer have such a family history of the disease, clearly reflecting the participation of inherited (genetic) components in the development of some breast cancers. Dominant breast cancer suceptibility genes, including BRCA1 and BRCA2, appear responsible for about 5% of all breast cancer. See related entries to: Breast cancer susceptibility genes; BRCA1; BRCA2. There are 2 genes; BRCA1 and BRCA2 which are susceptibility genes for breast cancer. They are inherited factors that predispose to breast cancer. Put otherwise, these genes make one more susceptible to the disease and so increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Two of these genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, have been identified (and prominently publicised). Several other genes (those for the li-fraumeni syndrome, cowden disease, muir-torre syndrome, and ataxia-telangiectasia) are also known to predispose to breast cancer. However, since all of these known breast cancer susceptibility genes together do not account for more than a minor fraction (1/5th at most) of breast cancer that clusters in families, it is clear that more breast cancer genes remain to be discovered. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| ultrasound of the breast | <investigation> A test which uses ultrasonic waves to scan the breast. Used to evaluate fibrocystic breast disease, breast implants or breast masses. (27 Sep 1997) |
| feeding, breast | The ability of the breast to produce milk diminishes soon after childbirth without the stimulation of breastfeeding. Immunity factors in breast milk can help the baby to fight off infections. Breast milk contains vitamins, minerals, and enzymes which aid the baby's digestion. Breast and formula feeding can be used together. (12 Dec 1998) |
| fibrocystic condition of the breast | A benign disease common in women of the third, fourth, and fifth decades characterised by formation, in one or both breasts, of small cysts containing fluid which may appear as blue dome cysts; associated with stromal fibrosis and with variable degrees of intraductal epithelial hyperplasia and sclerosing adenosis. Synonym: cystic hyperplasia of the breast. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fibrocystic disease of breast | A chronic disorder comprising three variants which range from lesions consisting primarily of an overgrowth of fibrous tissue to those characterised by dominance of the proliferation of the epithelial parenchyma to a form of dysplasia characterised by both stromal and epithelial hyperplasia with the formation of cysts. (12 Dec 1998) |
| large breast lesions | <radiology> Breast masses greater than 5 cm, lucent: lipoma, mixed lucent/opaque: fibro-adeno-lipoma, low-density opaque: giant fibroadenoma, cyst, cystosarcoma phylloides, mucinous carcinoma, high-density opaque (large and dense) (12 Dec 1998) |
| large, dense breast lesions | <radiology> Carcinoma, sarcoma, cystosarcoma phylloides, cyst, abscess, lymph nodes (lymphoma, leukaemia, metastasis) (12 Dec 1998) |
| funnel breast | Caved-in chest. Usually an unimportant isolated finding evident at birth. (Funnel chest can occasionally be part of a connective tissue disorder such as Marfan syndrome). (12 Dec 1998) |
| adrenal cyst | <radiology> Same characteristics as renal cysts, but less common, thick wall, septations, calcifications suggests pseudocyst (12 Dec 1998) |
| adventitious cyst | 1. An accumulation of fluid in a cystlike loculus, but without an epithelial or other membranous lining. Synonym: adventitious cyst, false cyst. 2. A cyst whose wall is formed by a host cell and not by a parasite. 3. A mass of 50 or more Toxoplasma bradyzoites, found within a host cell, frequently in the brain; formerly called a pseudocyst, but now considered a true cyst enclosed in its own membrane within the host cell that may rupture to release particles that form new cysts, and apparently is infective to another vertebrate host. See: bradyzoite. Origin: pseudo-+ G. Kystis, bladder (05 Mar 2000) |
| allantoic cyst | Cyst occurring in a persistent portion of the urachus, presenting as an extraperitoneal mass in the umbilical region. It is characterised by abdominal pain, and fever if infected. It may rupture, leading to peritonitis, or it may drain through the umbilicus. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alveolar hydatid cyst | A hydatid cyst of a multiloculate type, usually in the liver, caused by Echinococcus multilocularis, adults of which are in foxes; larvae (alveolar hydatid) are found chiefly in microtine rodents, but also among humans such as trappers and others handling pelts of infected foxes and other carnivores; growth is by exogenous budding and is not limited by an outer laminated membrane as in the hydatid cyst from E. Granulosus; necrosis, cavitation, contiguous spread, and death usually ensue. Synonym: multilocular hydatid cyst, multiloculate hydatid cyst. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aneurysmal bone cyst | <radiology> ABC, 10 - 30 yrs, 75% before skeletal maturity, sites: long bones; also, flat bones Findings: metaphyseal if unfused, metaepiphyseal after fusion, lytic, expansile, thin, continuous rim, thin internal bony strands (12 Dec 1998) |
| angioblastic cyst | Mesenchymal tissue capable of forming blood in the embryo. (05 Mar 2000) |
| apical periodontal cyst | An inflammatory odontogenic cyst derived histogenetically from Malassez' epithelial rests surrounding the root apex of a nonvital tooth. Synonym: periapical cyst, radicular cyst, root end cyst. (05 Mar 2000) |