Generality: Self-breast examination (SBE) is the most important screening tool available to women to early self-diagnose breast cancer. Learn on this site what to do when experiencing abnormal breast symptoms or findings. A painless palpable breast mass can represent either a benign or (less frequently) a malignant breast lesion. Breast pain is almost never associated with breast cancer and nipple discharge (clear or bloody) is almost always a benign occurrence.
Benign vs. malignant breast disease: There are two types of breast disease: benign (the most common) and malignant (the least common). Both conditions are diagnosed in two ways: physical exam, fine needle aspiration, and mammogram/ultrasound. If all three tests agree, the diagnosis is certain; however, they often are in discordance and a breast biopsy is mandatory. Once benign breast disease is diagnosed, nothing else is done with the exception of recommending yearly breast examination by a physician and mammogram (if over 40 years of age). In the case of malignancy, further treatment is recommended (lumpectomy with axillary node dissection plus radiation therapy to the breast and chemotherapy)
Anesthesia: For breast biopsy, intravenous sedation plus local anesthetic; for lumpectomy plus axillary node dissection, general anesthesia is induced.
bds3Type of Procedure: Breast biopsy is an outpatient procedure: the skin over the lesion is open, the lesion is removed, and the skin closed. Lumpectomy with axillary dissection is an inpatient procedure: a wide segment (lumpectomy) of breast is removed and the axilla is explored to removed the lymph glands. The latter is done to identify those patients with systemic disease.
Recovery Time: One-two days for breast biopsy; two in-hospital days followed by two-three weeks after lumpectomy and axillary dissection.
Postoperative Pain: Minimal after breast biopsy, moderate after lumpectomy and axillary node dissection. In either cases, oral pain killers will be given to the patient.