Physical and mammographic diagnosis of breast cancer and initial work-up

This article briefly reviews breast cancer examination and discusses a variety of physical changes that may occur in the breast suffering from breast cancer. The selected topics include evaluation of breast masses, nipple discharge, nipple changes other than discharge, and a discussion of inflammatory breast cancer and its differentiation from mastitis. Breast cancer appearing as a solitary axillary mass is also discussed. A brief discussion is also undertaken of aspiration cytology, mammographically directed needle localized open biopsies, and mammographically directed or stereotactic needle aspirations for cytology.