Benign breast disease

Mr Hisham Hamed, Consultant Breast Surgeon at London Bridge Hospital.

Breast cancer is the most common female cancer and tops the list of all common cancers.

One in every eight women will develop breast cancer in a life time. Over 55,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed every year in UK. Breast cancer in men is rare and accounts only for about 400 new cases a year. Only a small percentage of breast cancer is attributable to inheritable genetic mutation.

What is benign breast disease?

Benign breast disease is much more common than breast cancer. The anxiety associated with breast symptoms is immense. One stop clinic, one stop shop, provides the opportunity to achieve speedy diagnosis in one clinic visit. This involves consultation with history taking and clinical examination.

Patients undergo further assessment with breast imaging; commonly bilateral mammograms and breast ultrasound using the most modern equipment and technology. Needle biopsy is also carried out when appropriate. Cells are taken of the surface of the tissue obtained by needle biopsy to enable providing provisional tissue diagnosis in a few minutes.

For the majority of the patients with benign breast problems, they have instant reassurance. For those with breast cancer; information provided does reduce anxiety and the great majority of women are better off knowing the diagnosis; what patients want!

Being breast aware

Although incidence of breast cancer is rising; mortality from the disease is declining. One of the important factors is women’s awareness and seeking medical advice as soon as possible. Educating women to what to look for aid in early diagnosis; such as a lump, nipple discharge, recent nipple inversion, skin puckering or skin thinking and redness. In summary; any unusual change.

Early diagnosis of breast cancer does undoubtedly lead to decreasing in death from the disease. Also, treatment is more successful and less radical or mutilating.

Advances have also been made in breast reconstruction aiming at restoring body image and individuals’ confidence. Also patients are cared for in a multidisciplinary setting which provides the best care possible for patients.