Senology
摘要
Breast concerns account for approximately 3% of female visits to a primary care physician, with breast pain, lumps, and nipple discharge being the most commonly reported symptoms. Benign breast disorders in women are extremely common and can be categorized into those associated with a low risk of breast cancer (<1.49%), with a moderate risk (1.5–2%), and a high risk (>2%). Proper evaluation of these disorders is based on medical history, physical examination, imaging, and biopsy when indicated, while management will be determined by the final diagnosis and individual estimation of risk for breast cancer. Furthermore, women are often afraid of the worst scenario (breast cancer) when facing breast problems, probably due to the fact that breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, with a lifetime frequency of one in about eight women. Primary and secondary prevention of breast cancer, as well as estimation of women who are at an increased lifetime risk for this malignancy, is of great importance. Physical examination, mammography, and/or ultrasound for the diagnostic workup of a patient with a recent breast cancer diagnosis are usually sufficient for staging. Further factors contributing to integrated breast cancer assessment are progesterone receptors (PRs), estrogen receptors (ERs), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), and tumor grade. Treatment of breast cancer is based on its type, stage, and patient comorbidities. When indicated, surgery is the first-line treatment, often followed by radiation, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and monoclonal antibody therapy.