[Management of a lump in the breast?]

Cancer is the primary concern in a patient with a nodule of the breast. Diagnosis is based on clinical, radiological and pathological data. After the preoperative workup, tumorectomy with intraoperative pathological examination is the first step of the surgical procedure. Resection can be extended to radical mastectomy when malignancy is demonstrated. Additional radio, chemo, hormono or immunotherapy may be given according to tumor staging. In non-malignant disorders, isolated nodules must be distinguished from multiple ones. A single nodule may be either a fibroadenoma, if it is solid, or a cyst accompanying a mastopathy. Multiple nodules rise the difficult problem of the management of Reclus disease. Other nodules are uncommon, such as cystosarcoma phyllodes, gigantic fibroadenoma, scirhus, and tumor of the galactophorus duct.