Breast And Axillae Assessment

Front 1

What positions should your patient assume for breast inspection?

Back 1

arms hanging at sides
arms over head
hands pressed against hips
arms straight ahead as leaning forward

Front 2

The examination begins with the person:

Back 2

sitting and arms at the sides

Front 3

"Peau d' Orange", in which the skin of the breast feels like an orange peel (thickened skin and large pores), may suggest:

Back 3

breast cancer

Front 4

An increased prominence in venous pattern unilaterally is highly suggestive of:

Back 4

breast cancer

Front 5

Inversion occurring in a previously erect nipple is suggestive of:

Back 5

malignancy

Front 6

When palpating the breast, what should you note?

Back 6

tenderness
nodules

Front 7

If a person reports a lump, which breast should you palpate first?

Back 7

the breast without the lump, so you can become familiar with the person's "normal breast" first

Front 8

If a nodule is detected, note the following:

Back 8

location
size (cm)
shape
consistency
mobility
borders

Front 9

Describe a cancerous lesion of the breast.

Back 9

hard
fixed
nontender
irregular in shape

Front 10

When inspecting the axillae, what should you note?

Back 10

rashes
infection
unusual pigmentation (which may suggest a malignancy)

Front 11

When palpating the axillae, what should you note?

Back 11

masses/tumors
axillary nodes (they should not be palpable)