Common Breast Problems for Women

Breast Problems

Breast abnormalities are very common as breast tissue responds to hormone fluctuation, particularly to changes in prolactin and estrogen levels. Above is a table with a list of common breast problems (data pooled from Ref. 3 and 7).

Breast Cancer Information

This has been dealt with in a separate chapter. Simply click on this link: Breast cancer.

Breast Infection

Breast infections are rare except in the period after the birth of a child. With breast feeding the baby the sucking newborn often causes skin cracks of the nipples, which can lead to nipple infections.

Skin flora and mouth flora from the newborn can subsequently enter under mother's skin layer of the nipple and breast skin causing various tissue infections. The most common ones are skin yeast infections and breast abscesses.

Treatment:

Superficial yeast infections usually responds to topical antifungals. A breast abscess often will need incision and drainage by the physician followed by antibiotic therapy.

Breast Cysts

Cysts in breasts are common. They are often felt during a breast self examination. They can occur cyclically and are then usually part of fibrocystic disease. Ultrasound examination shows that they are filled with fluid, even if they may feel solid. Fine needle aspiration often stops the pain and has the advantage that a fluid sample for cell testing can be examined by a pathologist to rule out cancer. However, most of the time they are harmless (=benign).

Nipple Retraction

A retracting nipple is usually an ominous sign of an invasive breast cancer. The physician should be consulted immediately.

Orange Skin (=Peau D'Orange)

This can be part of the signs and symptoms of an invasive breast cancer that invades the skin from underneath giving the skin of the breast an irregular surface instead of the normal smooth surface. The surface characterstic is similar to that of an orange.

Palpable Mass

To feel a breast mass in a woman's breast is abnormal, but is one of the important signs of breast cancer.

Vague Breast Thickening (= Breast Nodularity)

This is a normal finding as a woman's breast that is made up of 15 to 25 subunits (called "lobules")and they have a lumpy feel about them when examined through the layer of subcutaneous fat that surronds them. By doing breast self examinations regularly just following the menstrual period a woman will get used to this normal structure. The breasts feel most nodular just prior to the periods (premenstrually) and breast self examination should be avoided then to avoid unnecessary anxiety. The best time for breast self-examination is right after the period.

Disclaimer:

 This outline is only a teaching aid to patients and should stimulate you to ask the right questions when seeing your doctor. However, the responsibility of treatment stays in the hands of your doctor and you.

References:

1. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse  Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 235.

2. B. Sears: "Zone perfect meals in minutes". Regan Books, Harper  Collins, 1997.

3. Ryan: Kistner's Gynecology & Women's Health, 7th ed.,1999 Mosby,  Inc.

4. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse  Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 245.

5. AB Diekman et al. Am J Reprod Immunol 2000 Mar; 43(3): 134-143.

6. V Damianova et al. Akush Ginekol (Sofia) 1999; 38(2): 31-33.

7. Townsend: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery,16th ed.,2001, W. B.  Saunders Company

8. Cotran: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease, 6th ed., 1999 W. B.  Saunders Company

9. Rakel: Conn's Current Therapy 2001, 53rd ed., W. B. Saunders Co.

10. Ruddy: Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology, 6th ed.,2001 W. B.  Saunders Company

11. EC Janowsky et al. N Engl J Med Mar-2000; 342(11): 781-790.

12. Wilson: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, 9th ed.,1998 W. B.  Saunders Company

13. KS Pena et al. Am Fam Physician 2001; 63(9): 1763-1770.

14. LM Apantaku Am Fam Physician Aug 2000; 62(3): 596-602.

15. Noble: Textbook of Primary Care Medicine, 3rd ed., 2001 Mosby,  Inc.

16. Goroll: Primary Care Medicine, 4th ed.,2000 Lippincott Williams &  Wilkins

17. St. Paul's Hosp. Contin. Educ. Conf. Nov. 2001,Vancouver/BC

18. Gabbe: Obstetrics - Normal and Problem Pregnancies, 3rd ed.,  1996 Churchill Livingstone, Inc.

19. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse  Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 251.

20. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse  Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 250.

21. Ignaz P Semmelweiss: "Die Aetiologie, der Begriff und die  Prophylaxis des Kindbettfiebers" ("Etiology, the Understanding and  Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever"). Vienna (Austria), 1861.

22. Rosen: Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice, 4th  ed., 1998 Mosby-Year Book, Inc.

23. Mandell: Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 5th ed.,  2000 Churchill Livingstone, Inc.

24. Horner NK et al. J Am Diet Assoc Nov-2000; 100(11): 1368-1380.

Last Modified: Nov. 30, 2008