BREAST LUMPS (Part 3)

What should I do if I find a breast lump?

If you find a lump in one of your breasts, you should make an appointment with your General Practitioner as soon as possible. When you see your Doctor, He may start by asking you some questions. It is a good idea to think about these questions before your appointment.

Questions may include:

·         When did you notice the lump?

·         Do you have any breast pain?

·         Do you have any nipple discharge?

·         When was your last period (if you still have them)?

·         Are you taking an hormonal medication such as the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy?

·         Have you had breast lumps before?

·         Do you have any history of breast problems in your family?

Breast examination

Your doctor may then suggest that they examine your breasts. A male doctor should always offer for a chaperone to be present during the examination. Sometimes female doctors will also offer a chaperone. You may be asked to remove your top and bra by the doctor. They may want to examine your breasts, with your arms in the air and then by your sides. They may also want to examine your breasts when you are sitting and then lying down. They may also want to examine underneath your arms to feel for any enlarged lymph glands. Your doctor may ask you to point out the lump to them. If you have had any nipple discharge, your doctor may ask you to demonstrate this yourself by asking you to squeeze your nipple.

There is more than one right way to examine the breasts and doctors may differ in their approach.

What happens next?

This will depend on what your doctor finds when they examine you. If you are in your twenties or thirties, are still having periods and have only just noticed the lump, your doctor may suggest that you return for another examination after your next period.

If the doctor is uncertain as to the cause of the lump, or if you have a family history of breast problems that they are worried about, they may suggest that they refer you to a specialist breast clinic. Here you will see a doctor who has special expertise in dealing with breast problems.

You can usually expect an appointment at the clinic within a few weeks. However, waiting times can vary depending on how busy the clinic is and how urgent your doctor feels the problem is. The aim is that any woman with suspected breast cancer should be seen in a specialist breast clinic within two weeks. If your doctor feels that you are more likely to have one of the benign (non-cancerous) causes of a breast lump, it may take longer than two weeks for you to be seen.

Even if you are referred urgently, you should remember that your lump may still turn out to be benign. The majority of people referred to a breast clinic do not have breast cancer.

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