Medical history and physical exam

Medical history and physical exam

If you think you have any signs or symptoms that might mean breast cancer, be sure to
see your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will ask you questions about your
symptoms, any other health problems, and possible risk factors for benign breast
conditions or breast cancer.
Your breasts will be thoroughly examined for any lumps or suspicious areas and to feel
their texture, size, and relationship to the skin and chest muscles. Any changes in the
nipples or the skin of your breasts will be noted. The lymph nodes in your armpit and
above your collarbones may be palpated (felt), because enlargement or firmness of these
lymph nodes might indicate spread of breast cancer. Your doctor will also do a complete
physical exam to judge your general health and whether there is any evidence of cancer
that may have spread.
If breast symptoms and/or the results of your physical exam suggest breast cancer might
be present, more tests will probably be done. These might include imaging tests, looking
at samples of nipple discharge, or doing biopsies of suspicious areas.
Imaging tests used to evaluate breast disease
Imaging tests use x-rays, magnetic fields, sound waves, or radioactive substances to
create pictures of the inside of your body. Imaging tests may be done for a number of
reasons, including to help find out whether a suspicious area might be cancerous, to learn
how far cancer may have spread, and to help determine if treatment is working.