At The Breast Center of Greensboro Imaging, we are committed to providing you with quality care, and the most accurate information and educational materials to help you understand your health. Leigh Kuhnly, R.N., BSN, our nurse educator, is available to answer all your breast health questions and concerns.
Topics: (Click the links below)
General Breast Cancer Information and Support
Recommendations for Mammograms and Breast Exams
Self Breast Exam
Top Three Patient Concerns
Breast Cancer Myths
Recommended Web Sites:

General Breast Cancer Information and Support
Excluding cancers of the skin, studies from the American Cancer Society indicate that breast cancer accounts for one-third of all cancers diagnosed in American women. In 2005 breast cancer affected an estimated 269,730 women. However, there is good news. According to the American Cancer Society, death rates have decreased steadily by 2.3% each year from 1990 to 2002.

Some of the risk factors for breast cancer, such as age, family history or genetics, cannot be avoided. The greatest risk factor for breast cancer is age. The older you are, the greater your risk for developing the disease. Family history also plays an important role, especially if an immediate family member is affected. In addition, 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases are the result of a genetic mutation.

Breast cancer shows no symptoms at its earliest stages. It is imperative that women follow the recommendations for early detection. This includes self breast exams, regular breast exams by your physician and annual mammograms. Mammography is the gold standard for the early detection of breast cancer and can detect cancer before symptoms are present. The earlier the cancer is detected, the greater the odds of successful treatment.

In addition to mammography, awareness of both the disease and your own body can be the most important tools for the early detection of breast cancer. When you are familiar with the look and feel of your breasts, you are more likely to notice changes and report those changes to your doctor. BACK TO TOP^

Recommendations for Mammograms and Breast Exams
According to the American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer, women age 40 and older should have a mammogram and clinical breast examination annually and recommend monthly self breast exams. Women between the age of 20 and 39 should have a clinical breast examination every three years and also recommend monthly self breast-examinations. BACK TO TOP^

Self Breast Exam
A self breast exam is an important tool in the early detection of breast cancer. Women should examine their breasts regularly, not only to check for abnormalities, but also to gain understanding of how their breasts should normally feel. When you are familiar with your breasts you will be more likely to detect a change in them.

Keep in mind that your breasts are complex organs that change consistently throughout the month with the levels of hormones in your body. Therefore, they may feel differently at different points in your menstrual cycle, and you should try to perform your self breast exams at the same time each month. That’s why you need to examine your breasts at a time when they are not tender or filled with fluid. This time varies depending on the stage of your life. For menstruating women, the last day of your period is ideal and gives you a physical reminder each month to perform your exam. Women who are past menopause or who are pregnant should examine their breasts on the same day each month. If you take hormone replacement that cycles off the medicine for a few days, perform your exam the day you resume your medication. Breast feeding mothers should check each breast when the milk has been expressed.

Step 1: Lying Down
1. Lie down on your back and place a small pillow beneath your right shoulder
2. Using the tips of the three middle fingers on your left hand, examine your right breast in circular motions
3. Pressure should range from light to deep, and follow an up and down pattern
4. Examine the areas above and around your breasts, in your armpit area and around your collarbone
5. Repeat these steps on your left breast

Step 2: In front of your mirror
While standing, check for visual changes in your breast such as skin puckering, changes in color or texture, bulges, changes in vein patterns or retraction of the skin or nipple. You should examine your breasts in the mirror in four different positions:
1. Arms at your side
2. Arms over your head
3. Your hands on your hips
4. Bent forward with your hands on your hips

Download the Breast Self Exam PDF here

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Top Three Patient Concerns
Breast Pain
The majority of all breast pain cases stems from problems other than breast cancer. Breast pain may be cyclical, corresponding to regular hormone fluctuations. In other instances pain may be a result of a musculoskeletal problem such as a pinched nerve, scoliosis, osteoporosis, or even from an infected tooth that may refer pain to the breast. Often aspirin, ibuprofen, or changes in diet and lifestyle, such as limited fat and caffeine intake, may reduce discomfort. However, consult your physician if pain:
Persists and lasts more than several weeks
Is sharp and comes out of nowhere
Accompanies redness and warmth in the breast tissue
Occurs in the same breast as lump
Occurs with discharge in the same breast
Accompanies a change in skin texture
Occurs with substantial discharge from both breasts that is not associated with nursing or pregnancy
Other conditions that may cause breast pain include:
Cysts – Fluid filled sacs
Fibroadenoma – A benign tumor of fibrous tissues
Galactocele – Fluid filled sac of breast milk
Mastitis – Breast duct infection
Breast Abscess – Localized collection of puss
Duct Ectasia – Inflammation or infection either in or around the milk ducts
Cellulitis – Inflammation of the breast skin
Mondor’s Disease – Inflammation of a vein in the breast, often due to a blood clot
Shingles – Viral infection
Hematoma – A pooling of blood in one spot as a result of a blow or other trauma to the breast tissue

Breast Discharge
Breast discharge is a frequent complaint that women have about their breasts. Discharge may be a normal, physiological body function, induced by medication, or a pathological, disease-caused condition. However, studies show that 50 to 80 percent of breast discharge cases are not the result of disease.

As part of a woman’s monthly cycle, the breasts produce a small amount of milk to prepare for a potential pregnancy much like the uterus prepares to carry a fetus. Generally, the body absorbs or removes the unused milk, but it is not abnormal for one to have discharge.

Characteristics of normal discharge include:
Discharge from both breasts
Discharge multiple ducts
Occurs with increased frequency before your menstrual period
A lump does not accompany the discharge

In addition to hormone fluctuation breast discharge may be the result of a breast exam, mammogram, jogging or aerobic exercise, sexual stimulation, injury to the breast or chest wall, or even sleeping on your stomach. In postmenopausal women, hormone replacement therapy may cause or increase the frequency of normal discharge.

Breast discharge may also be a result of medication. Birth control, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, antibiotics, antihistamines and blood pressure medications are just a few of the drug categories that could cause breast discharge. If you notice a change in your breasts after taking a medication, do not stop taking it until you speak with your physician, especially if you are on prescription drugs. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking the medication for a short period of time to rule out a more serious condition.

The majority of pathological discharge cases are the result of benign conditions. Pathological discharge may:
Occur in a single breast or originates from a single duct
Persist throughout the month
Spontaneously occur without being induced by squeezing or other stimulation
Accompanies a lump or thickening tissue in the same area of the breast
Accompanies a skin retraction on the breast producing the discharge

If you notice any of these symptoms, you need to schedule an appointment with your physician and monitor thecondition closely. Remember, most discharges are not associated with cancer, but they should be assessed to rule out that possibility.

Lump
Finding a lump in your breast can be a terrifying experience. If you find an abnormality, do not panic. First, make a note of how the area has changed and where it is located. You may want to write it down or make a diagram. Check your other breast to see if there is a similar change in the area of concern, and if they are consistent, the change is most likely due to hormonal fluctuations in the body.

Any lump found in the breast needs to be evaluated by your physician, especially if it has one or more of the following characteristics:
The breast has a firm lump that feels like a pea or a bean
The mass does not move when you press on or around it, and it feels attached to the surrounding tissue, causing the entire area to move during your exam, Sometimes changes in the breast are visual and, because sometimes lumps do not form, these changes should be also be analyzed:
Your nipple retracts suddenly and is not normally inverted
Changes in the skin, including redness and other discoloration, pitting resembling the peel of an orange, rash or sores
Skin retraction or a protrusion in a single area of the breast
Irritation of the nipple
An increase in the size and number of veins in one of your breasts

Remember, the majority of breast tissue biopsies reveal benign conditions in the breast. However, if you find a single lump or notice substantial change in the breast, contact your physician to schedule a physical exam or mammogram. Upon visiting your physician, he or she will perform a breast exam and may refer you to receive a mammogram. Based on the results of the mammogram, the mass may need to be tested by a biopsy. You have options for a biopsy, including non surgical options that use X-rays or ultrasound guidance to insert a needle into the mass and remove a small amount of tissue.

Based on the results of your mammogram and biopsy, your physician will give you a diagnosis and may refer you to a specialist to treat your condition. In addition, he or she may be able to give you information for you to better understand treatment options and find a support group in your area. BACK TO TOP^

Breast Cancer Myths
Breast cancer awareness is one of the strongest tools for detecting the disease early, and campaigns such as “Walk for the Cure” and Breast Cancer Awareness month further promote this cause. However, with the vast increases in awareness there are also increases in breast cancer misconceptions. Here is the truth behind some of the most common breast cancer myths:
Breast cancer is not contagious
The radiation from your annual mammogram will not cause breast cancer
Breast cancer is not caused by trauma to the breast
Breastfeeding neither prevents nor causes breast cancer
Antiperspirants do not increase your risk for breast cancer
You cannot pass breast cancer to your children through breast feeding
Women with large or lumpy breasts are not more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer
Although rare, men may also get breast cancer
Under-wire bras


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Recommended Sites:

Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization - www.y-me.org
The site provides educational materials as well as information on how to find support in your local community. This site is available in Spanish.

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation - www.komen.org
The Susan G. Komen Foundation is the world leader in the fight against breast cancer. The site contains educational materials, contact information for your local chapter, and support materials to help one cope with a breast cancer diagnosis. This site is also available in Spanish.

The American Cancer Society - www.cancer.org
A national, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to cancer issues. The website details risk factors, prevention, research, symptoms, treatments, educational materials, and community-based support systems for all types of cancer, including breast cancer. This site is also available in Spanish.

Young Survival Coalition - www.youngsurvival.org
A non-profit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters committed to education and public policy in addressing breast cancer in women under 40. The organization also provides a support network for those living with breast cancer.

BreastCancer.org - www.BreastCancer.org
This site offers over a thousand pages of medical information on all breast cancer topics, discussion boards, research updates, as well as information on how to find support in your community.

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