Breast Lump On A Female Patient Essay Paper
Assessment of a Breast Lump in a 55-Year-Old Female Patient
Risk Factors and Demographics to Consider
- Age and Menopause: The patient’s age at 55 is significant as breast cancer risk rises with age, and menopause, linked to hormonal changes, can affect breast health.
- Family History: Despite denying a family history of breast cancer, her sister’s recent ovarian cancer diagnosis is crucial, given the genetic ties between ovarian and breast cancers (BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations).
- Smoking: Smoking one pack per day is a breast cancer risk factor, causing various health issues (Sultan et al., 2022).
- Nulliparity: The patient’s childlessness slightly elevates breast cancer risk.
- Alcohol: Daily consumption of two beers for sleep may raise breast cancer risk by increasing estrogen levels (Sultan et al., 2022). Breast Lump On A Female Patient Essay Paper
Questions to Elicit a Detailed History:
- Onset and Duration: When did you first notice the breast lump, and has it changed in size or characteristics over the past two months?
- Location and Characteristics: Can you describe the lump’s exact location in your breast? What is its size, shape, and consistency? Does it cause any pain or discomfort?
- Family Cancer History: Apart from your sister’s ovarian cancer, have any other family members been diagnosed with breast cancer?
- Hormone-Related Factors: Have you ever used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or birth control pills? When did you experience menopause?
- Lifestyle Habits: Can you provide details about your diet, exercise routine, and environmental toxins or radiation exposure? Breast Lump On A Female Patient Essay Paper
Diagnostic Imaging Options
For this case, the nurse practitioner should consider the following diagnostic imaging techniques:
- Mammogram: Typically used for women over 50, a mammogram is a standard screening tool that reveals the lump’s size, location, and characteristics (Coffey et al., 2023).
- Ultrasound: Providing additional insights into the lump’s features, ultrasound helps differentiate between solid and fluid-filled masses (Coffey et al., 2023).
- Breast MRI: A breast MRI is valuable if mammogram and ultrasound results are inconclusive or suggest complexity. This aids in the in-depth evaluation of breast tissue (Heller & Moy, 2019).
- Genetic Testing: Following the patient’s ovarian cancer family history, genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations is advisable. These can heighten risks for both breast and ovarian cancers (Heller & Moy, 2019). Breast Lump On A Female Patient Essay Paper
References
Coffey, K., Dixon, L. B., Sevilimedu, V., Jochelson, M. S., & Sung, J. (2023). Short-Term Follow-up of Contrast-Enhanced Mammography Lesions after Negative Breast MRI in Women with Elevated Breast Cancer Risk. European Journal of Radiology, 111097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2023.111097
Heller, S. L., & Moy, L. (2019). MRI breast screening revisited. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 49(5), 1212-1221. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmri.26547
Sultan, N., Memon, S. A., Mooghal, M., Wali, S., Khan, W., Tahseen, H., … & Monis, D. (2022). Ethnic predisposition, risk factors and breast cancer presentation; a 10-year data. Single centered prospective cohort study from Karachi. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 82, 104612. Breast Lump On A Female Patient Essay Paper
Discussion Prompt
A 55-year-old menopause female presented to the nurse practitioner’s clinic with c/o of “breast lump†x 2 months. She denies a family history of breast cancer, however, her sister was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer and currently undergoing chemotherapy. The patient states that her husband noticed the painless lump on the right side of the breast. She also describes lump as immobile. She also reports that she smokes 1PPD and has never been pregnant. She drinks two cans of beer every night to help her sleep because of her stressful day time job.
What risk factors including demographics should the nurse practitioner consider while making a clinical diagnosis for this patient?
What questions should the nurse practitioner ask this patient to elicit a detailed history? (At least five questions to receive full points for this section)
What diagnostic imaging would you consider for this patient?
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