Breast Health: Benign Breast Conditions

Benign breast conditions are heterogenous, with varying clinical presentations. These conditions commonly include nipple discharge, breast pain, palpable masses, common breast lesions, and high-risk breast lesions. Signs and symptoms of these conditions range from pain and abnormal physical examination findings to asymptomatic abnormalities detected on breast imaging. A combination of clinical examination, patient history, and diagnostic studies should be used to make a diagnosis. The primary challenges in addressing new breast symptoms are determination of a clear diagnosis and creation of a management plan, as well as evaluation of future risk of malignancy related to benign diagnoses. Risk assessment can prove difficult in patients of certain racial groups, given the differences in risk attributed to specific benign conditions. This also can prove challenging given the lack of racial diversity in early trials assessing risk in benign breast disease. Many benign breast conditions are diagnosed and managed in the family medicine setting, but some patients may require consultation with a breast subspecialist.