What should you know about the breast cancer site?

A report may identify the right or left breast, a particular quadrant, the nipple or the area behind it. It may describe one focus or more than one focus, tumour size, skin or chest-wall involvement, and nearby lymph nodes. Location helps surgeons plan an operation, but treatment also depends on tumour type, hormone receptors, HER2 status, grade and stage. A breast lump or other breast change has many possible causes and does not by itself establish cancer.

A clinical examination is commonly followed by imaging suited to the finding and your age or circumstances. Mammography, ultrasound or breast MRI can show the position and extent of an abnormal area. A breast biopsy examines cells or tissue and can provide the information needed for diagnosis. If cancer is confirmed, lymph-node assessment and tumour testing may guide the treatment sequence. Bring previous images so the team can compare changes over time.

Arrange prompt assessment for a new breast or armpit lump, a persistent change in breast shape, skin dimpling, nipple inversion, unusual discharge or a change that does not settle. Seek urgent help for severe infection symptoms, rapidly increasing swelling, heavy bleeding after a procedure, sudden breathlessness or new neurological symptoms. Urgency is based on the symptom and its progression, not on assuming its cause.

Where exactly is the finding, and how was its position measured? Do the scans show one area or several? Is a biopsy recommended? Which lymph nodes need assessment? What do the receptor and tumour tests mean? Could the site affect surgery, reconstruction or radiation planning?