Breast disease

Last updated
Breast disease
Other namesBreast problems
Specialty Gynecology

Breast diseases make up a number of conditions. The most common symptoms are a breast mass, breast pain, and nipple discharge. [1]

Contents

A majority of breast diseases are noncancerous. [2] Although breast disease may be benign, or non-life threatening there remains an associated risk with potentially a higher risk of developing breast cancer later on. [3]

Tumor

Early warning signs of breast cancer Early signs of breast cancer hariadhi svg.svg
Early warning signs of breast cancer

A breast tumor is an abnormal mass of tissue in the breast as a result of neoplasia. A breast neoplasm may be benign, as in fibroadenoma, or it may be malignant, in which case it is termed breast cancer. Either case commonly presents as a breast lump. Approximately 7% of breast lumps are fibroadenomas and 10% are breast cancer, the rest being other benign conditions or no disease. [4]

Phyllodes tumor is a fibroepithelial tumor which can be benign, borderline or malignant.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is cancer of the breast tissues, most commonly arising from the milk ducts. Worldwide, breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women, accounting for 25% of all cases. [5] It is most common in women over age 50.

Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a red or scaly patch of skin. [6] Diagnosis may also be made when the cancer is asymptomatic, through breast cancer screening programs, such as mammograms. Outcomes for breast cancer vary depending on the cancer type, extent of disease, and person's age. [7] Survival rates in the developed world are high, [8] with between 80% and 90% of those in England and the United States alive for at least 5 years. [9] [10]

Fibrocystic breast changes

Also called: fibrocystic breast disease, chronic cystic mastitis, diffuse cystic mastopathy, mammary dysplasia

Infections and inflammations

These may be caused among others by trauma, secretory stasis/milk engorgement, hormonal stimulation, infections or autoimmune reactions. Repeated occurrence unrelated to lactation requires endocrinological examination.

Other breast conditions

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastitis</span> Medical condition

Mastitis is inflammation of the breast or udder, usually associated with breastfeeding. Symptoms typically include local pain and redness. There is often an associated fever and general soreness. Onset is typically fairly rapid and usually occurs within the first few months of delivery. Complications can include abscess formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast engorgement</span> Medical condition

Breast engorgement occurs in the mammary glands due to expansion and pressure exerted by the synthesis and storage of breast milk. It is also a main factor in altering the ability of the infant to latch-on. Engorgement changes the shape and curvature of the nipple region by making the breast inflexible, flat, hard, and swollen. The nipples on an engorged breast are flat or inverted. Sometimes it may lead to striae on nipples, mainly a preceding symptom of septation mastitis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nipple discharge</span> Medical condition

Nipple discharge is fluid from the nipple, with or without squeezing the breast. The discharge can be milky, clear, green, purulent, bloody, or faintly yellow. The consistency can be thick, thin, sticky, or watery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fibroadenoma</span> Medical condition

Fibroadenomas are benign breast tumours characterized by an admixture of stromal and epithelial tissue. Breasts are made of lobules and ducts. These are surrounded by glandular, fibrous and fatty tissues. Fibroadenomas develop from the lobules. The glandular tissue and ducts grow over the lobule to form a solid lump.

Breast pain is the symptom of discomfort in either one or both breasts. Pain in both breasts is often described as breast tenderness, is usually associated with the menstrual period and is not serious. Pain that involves only one part of a breast is more concerning, particularly if a hard mass or nipple discharge is also present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lactiferous duct</span> Structure carrying milk to the nipple

Lactiferous ducts are ducts that converge and form a branched system connecting the nipple to the lobules of the mammary gland. When lactogenesis occurs, under the influence of hormones, the milk is moved to the nipple by the action of smooth muscle contractions along the ductal system to the tip of the nipple. They are also referred to as galactophores, galactophorous ducts, mammary ducts, mamillary ducts or milk ducts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myoepithelial cell</span>

Myoepithelial cells are cells usually found in glandular epithelium as a thin layer above the basement membrane but generally beneath the luminal cells. These may be positive for alpha smooth muscle actin and can contract and expel the secretions of exocrine glands. They are found in the sweat glands, mammary glands, lacrimal glands, and salivary glands. Myoepithelial cells in these cases constitute the basal cell layer of an epithelium that harbors the epithelial progenitor. In the case of wound healing, myoepithelial cells reactively proliferate. Presence of myoepithelial cells in a hyperplastic tissue proves the benignity of the gland and, when absent, indicates cancer. Only rare cancers like adenoid cystic carcinomas contains myoepithelial cells as one of the malignant components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fibrocystic breast changes</span> Medical condition

Fibrocystic breast changes is a condition of the breasts where there may be pain, breast cysts, and breast masses. The breasts may be described as "lumpy" or "doughy". Symptoms may worsen during certain parts of the menstrual cycle due to hormonal stimulation. These are normal breast changes, not associated with cancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast cyst</span> Medical condition

A breast cyst is a cyst, a fluid-filled sac, within the breast. One breast can have one or more cysts. They are often described as round or oval lumps with distinct edges. In texture, a breast cyst usually feels like a soft grape or a water-filled balloon, but sometimes a breast cyst feels firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duct ectasia of breast</span> Medical condition

Duct ectasia of the breast, mammary duct ectasia or plasma cell mastitis is a condition that occurs when a milk duct beneath the nipple widens, the duct walls thicken, and the duct fills with fluid. This is the most common cause of greenish discharge. Mammary duct ectasia can mimic breast cancer. It is a disorder of peri- or post-menopausal age.

The term nonpuerperal mastitis describes inflammatory lesions of the breast (mastitis) that occur unrelated to pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Also called Zuska's disease, subareolar abscess is a subcutaneous abscess of the breast tissue beneath the areola of the nipple. It is a frequently aseptic inflammation and has been associated with squamous metaplasia of lactiferous ducts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast mass</span> Localized swellings that feel different from the surrounding tissue

A breast mass, also known as a breast lump, is a localized swelling that feels different from the surrounding tissue. Breast pain, nipple discharge, or skin changes may be present. Concerning findings include masses that are hard, do not move easily, are of an irregular shape, or are firmly attached to surrounding tissue.

Central duct excision is the surgical removal (excision) of all lactiferous duct under the nipple. The excision of a single duct is called microdochectomy, a mere incision of a mammary duct is microdochotomy.

Pediatric gynaecology or pediatric gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the vagina, vulva, uterus, and ovaries of infants, children, and adolescents. Its counterpart is pediatric andrology, which deals with medical issues specific to the penis and testes.

A blocked milk duct is a blockage of one or more ducts carrying milk to the nipple for the purpose of breastfeeding an infant that can cause mastitis. The symptoms are a tender, localised lump in one breast, with redness in the skin over the lump. The cause of a blocked milk duct is the failure to remove milk from part of the breast. This may be due to infrequent breastfeeding, poor attachment, tight clothing or trauma to the breast. Sometimes the duct to one part of the breast is blocked by thickened milk. A blocked milk duct can be managed by improving the removal of milk and correcting the underlying cause.

Vulvar tumors are those neoplasms of the vulva. Vulvar and vaginal neoplasms make up a small percentage (3%) of female genital cancers. They can be benign or malignant. Vulvar neoplasms are divided into cystic or solid lesions and other mixed types. Vulvar cancers are those malignant neoplasms that originate from vulvar epithelium, while vulvar sarcomas develop from non-epithelial cells such as bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Epithelial and mesenchymal tissue are the origin of vulvar tumors.

Papillomatosis of the breast (PB) is a rare, benign, epitheliosis-like lesion, i.e. an overgrowth of the cells lining the ducts of glands that resembles a papilla or nipple-like nodule/tumor. PB tumors develop in the apocrine glands of the breast. PB is also termed juvenile papillomatosis because of its frequent occurrence in younger women and Swiss cheese disease because of its microscopic appearance. Rarely, PB has also been diagnosed in very young, adolescent, and adult males.

Nipple pain is a common symptom of pain at the nipple that occurs in women during breastfeeding after childbirth. The pain shows the highest intensity during the third to the seventh day postpartum and becomes most severe on the third day postpartum.

References

  1. Salzman, B; Fleegle, S; Tully, AS (15 August 2012). "Common breast problems". American Family Physician. 86 (4): 343–9. PMID   22963023.
  2. "MedlinePlus: Breast Diseases". Archived from the original on 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  3. "Non-Cancerous Breast Conditions | Benign Conditions". www.cancer.org.
  4. Page 739 in: Mitchell, Richard Sheppard; Kumar, Vinay; Abbas, Abul K.; Fausto, Nelson (2007). Robbins Basic Pathology. Philadelphia: Saunders. ISBN   978-1-4160-2973-1. 8th edition.
  5. World Cancer Report 2014. World Health Organization. 2014. pp. Chapter 1.1. ISBN   978-92-832-0429-9.
  6. "Breast Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)". NCI. 23 May 2014. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  7. "Breast Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)". NCI. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  8. "World Cancer Report" (PDF). International Agency for Research on Cancer. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  9. "SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Breast Cancer". NCI. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  10. "Cancer Survival in England: Patients Diagnosed 2007–2011 and Followed up to 2012" (PDF). Office for National Statistics. 29 October 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.

Further reading