Dr. Ulhas Pote

Clinical Breast Examination

Description
Faq's

A clinical breast examination (CBE) is a physical examination of the breast done by a health professional. Clinical breast examinations are used along with mammograms to check women for breast cancer. Clinical breast examinations are also used to check for other breast problems.

A clinical breast examination may be part of your regular checkup. Talk with your health professional about how often you need a breast examination.

Women with breast implants should also have regular clinical breast examinations.

Why It Is Done

A clinical breast examination is done to:

Find a lump or change in the breast that may mean a serious problem is present, such as breast cancer.
Check other breast problems that may need more treatment, such as mastitis or a fibroadenoma.

How To Prepare

Tell your health professional if you:

Have a new lump or change in your breasts. This includes a change in the way your nipples look or if you have any nipple discharge.
Some women have nipples that sink into the breast, called inverted nipples. For these women, this is normal. But if you do not have inverted nipples and notice a change where your nipple becomes inverted, tell your doctor.
Have pain in one breast, especially if the pain is not related to having your menstrual period.
Are or might be pregnant.
Are breastfeeding.
Have breast implants.
Have had a breast biopsy.
Have completed menopause.
Are taking hormone therapy.
Have a personal or family history of breast cancer.

You may want to have your examination 1 to 2 weeks after your menstrual period ends, if you are still menstruating; your breasts are less likely to be tender at that time.

Talk to your health professional about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results may mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).

How It Is Done

A clinical breast examination is done by a health professional. You will need to take off your clothes above the waist. You will be given a gown to wear during the examination.

First, your health professional will ask you questions about any problems you may have, your medical history, and your risk factors for breast cancer. Talk to your health professional about any areas of your breasts you may be concerned about.

Your health professional will then examine each breast, underarm, and collarbone area for changes in breast size, skin changes, or signs of injury or infection, such as bruising or redness. You may be asked to lift your arms over your head, put your hands on your hips, or lean forward and press your hands together to tighten the muscle beneath each breast during this part of the examination. You may also lie flat on the table and put your arm behind your head while your health professional checks your breast tissue.

Your health professional will feel (palpate) each breast for any unusual or painful areas or for a dominant lump. A dominant lump in the breast is any lump that is new, larger, harder, or different in any other way from other lumps or the rest of the breast tissue.

Your health professional will gently press on the breast tissue from about 1 in. (2.5 cm) below the breast up to the collarbone. He or she also will examine your armpit (axillary area) and your neck for swollen glands (lymph nodes). Your health professional will likely press gently on your nipple to check for any discharge.

After the examination, your health professional may teach you how to examine your own breasts (breast self-examination) and help you practice doing it.

How It Feels

A clinical breast examination normally does not cause any discomfort unless your breasts are tender.

Risks

There are no risks in having a clinical breast examination.

What is a clinical breast exam?

A clinical breast examination is one of the three important components of breast cancer screening. Along with self-exam/self-awareness and imaging techniques, clinical examination helps assess breast health and identify any changes. During a clinical breast exam, a health care provider visually and manually checks a patient’s breasts for normal life-cycle changes and looks for any changes or abnormalities to promote early detection.

Who gets clinical breast exams?

While screening recommendations vary slightly by agency, it is generally recommended that every woman receive a clinical breast exam every three years starting at age 20, and yearly at age 40 and beyond. Screening for breast changes and abnormalities is an important part of every woman’s regular health care routine, and clinical examination is one component of breast cancer screening.

How do clinical breast exams complement other screening methods?

A competent clinical breast exam adds another layer of observation to promote early detection of abnormalities and/or changes. Clinical breast exam also may facilitate communication between providers and patients to discuss findings from self-exam and self-awareness activities. In cases where screening mammography is inappropriate (e.g., women under 40), clinical breast examination may become a more significant component of breast cancer screening. While mammography is a highly sensitive imaging technique, a portion of cancers are missed by screening mammograms that are able to be felt by a woman and/or her doctor, emphasizing the importance of clinical breast exam as a component of a full screening plan. Patients should discuss individual screening recommendations with their primary health care provider.

Who performs clinical breast examination?

Often, screening clinical breast exam is performed during a well-woman checkup or yearly exam. Physicians (such as OB/GYNs or family practice doctors), nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and radiologic technologists all may perform clinical breast exams. A clinical breast exam is different from a breast self-exam; the clinical exam is performed by a health care professional while a self-exam is performed by a woman herself.

Are all clinical breast exams alike?

No. Most clinical breast exams include both a visual inspection of the breasts and a manual examination of breast tissue. Variations in training, protocol, and technique mean examinations may be different between providers. Health care professionals who have been certified in the MammaCare Method of clinical breast examination can be expected to perform uniformly thorough examinations, with high levels of sensitivity and specificity. The specialized training received by MammaCare certified clinicians standardizes their clinical breast examination practice and provides patients with medical best-practice screening techniques.