Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Postmenopausal breast abscess

J Petrek

    Southern Medical Journal
    |October 1, 1982
    PubMed
    Summary

    Postmenopausal breast abscesses often lack typical inflammation and can mimic cancer. Diagnosis is challenging due to non-specific symptoms and unhelpful tests, necessitating surgical excision for clarity and treatment.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    [Healthy persons versus patients with diabetes mellitus type 2--choosen parameters in serum and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue].

    Vnitrni lekarstvi·2007
    Same author

    [Brain activity during language processing].

    Ceskoslovenska fysiologie·2005
    Same author

    Lymphedema in women treated for breast cancer.

    Cancer practice·2002
    Same author

    A trend analysis of the relative value of blue dye and isotope localization in 2,000 consecutive cases of sentinel node biopsy for breast cancer.

    Journal of the American College of Surgeons·2001
    Same author

    Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. Research Plan 2002-2006. Breast Cancer Working Group.

    International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics·2001
    Same author

    Intradermal isotope injection is superior to intramammary in sentinel node biopsy for breast cancer.

    Surgery·2001

    Area of Science:

    • Oncology
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Surgical Pathology

    Background:

    • Breast abscesses are uncommon in postmenopausal women.
    • Abscesses in this demographic often present with indolent characteristics, lacking typical signs of inflammation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To describe the clinical presentation and diagnostic challenges of breast abscesses in postmenopausal women.
    • To evaluate the diagnostic utility of standard clinical and laboratory findings.

    Main Methods:

    • Retrospective review of 18 postmenopausal women treated for breast abscess between 1975 and 1978.
    • Analysis of clinical presentation, physical examination findings, laboratory results, and preoperative diagnoses.

    Main Results:

    • Only 17% reported fever/pain; 33% showed signs of inflammation. White blood cell count was elevated in only 14%.
    • Preoperative diagnosis was cancer in 55% of cases. 22% were initially suspected as "mass" requiring excision.
    • Subareolar location (72%) was common, similar to premenopausal women.

    Conclusions:

    • Breast abscess in postmenopausal women can be mistaken for cancer due to subtle presentation.
    • Standard diagnostic methods (history, physical exam, WBC count, mammograms) are unreliable.
    • Excision may be beneficial for diagnosis and preventing recurrence in this population.

    Related Experiment Videos