| breast lump | <oncology, surgery> A breast lump that may be benign or cancerous. Examples of breast lumps include: breast abscess, fat necrosis, fibroadenoma, fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer. A breast biopsy is the best way to determine the aetiology of a breast lump. Remember, 80 to 85% of all biopsies are benign. (13 Nov 1997) |
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| breast mass | <oncology, surgery> A breast lump may be benign or cancerous. Examples of breast lumps include: breast abscess, fat necrosis, fibroadenoma, fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer. A breast biopsy is the best way to determine the aetiology of a breast lump. Remember, 80 to 85% of all biopsies are benign. (27 Sep 1997) |
| breast neoplasms, male | Any neoplasms of the male breast. These occur infrequently in males in developed countries, the incidence being about 1% of that in females. Two-thirds of patients present with intraductal carcinoma. The average age of onset is 60 years for men. Orchiectomy was the standard treatment but it has been replaced by tamoxifen as the initial therapy since oestrogen-receptor-positive tumours are predominant in males. Orchiectomy and mastectomy may be used if initial drug therapy is not successful. The prognosis is worse than that for females. (12 Dec 1998) |
| breast pang | A paroxysmal thoracic pain, with a failing of suffocation and impending death, due, most often, to anoxia of the myocardium and precipitated by effort or excitement. (18 Nov 1997) |
| breast prosthesis | <oncology> An artificial breast form worn under clothing. (16 Dec 1997) |
| breast pump | A suction instrument for withdrawing milk from the breast. (05 Mar 2000) |
| breast self-examination | <procedure> A a regular, defined process of thorough examination of the breasts once a month to detect any changes or suspicious lumps. Exams should be practiced at the end of the period or seven days after the start of the period and be performed monthly at the same time. (09 Oct 1997) |
| breast thermography | <investigation> A special infrared study which measures the skin temperature across the breasts. Used in the evaluation of breast abscess, breast cancer or another inflammatory process. This test is being replaced by breast ultrasound (15 Nov 1997) |
| breast ultrasound | <investigation, radiology> A test which uses ultrasonic waves to scan the breast. Used to evaluate fibrocystic breast disease, breast implants or breast masses. (27 Sep 1997) |
| caked breast | Painful distention of the breast occurring during the latter days of pregnancy and the first days of lactation. Synonym: caked breast. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cancer, breast | Cancer of the tissue containing or involving the milk glands (mammary tissue). Breast cancer is diagnosed with self- and physician- examination of the breasts, mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy. There are many types of breast cancer that differ in their capability of spreading to other body tissues (metastasis). Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type and location of the breast cancer, as well as the age and health of the patient. The American Cancer Society recommends that a woman should have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40 years. Between 40 and 50 years of age mammograms are recommended every other year. After age 50 years, yearly mammograms are recommended. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cancer, breast, familial | 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. About 15-20% 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. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cancer, breast, susceptibility genes | 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) |
| paget disease of breast | <radiology> Form of ductal carcinoma, associated with eczematous changes of the nipple (12 Dec 1998) |
| male breast | One of the two, usually rudimentary, mammary glands in the male. Synonym: mamma masculina, mamma virilis. (05 Mar 2000) |