A Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) is a physical exam done by a health care provider. The exam will begin with a visual inspection of the breasts. A complete exam is then performed of the breast tissue as well as tissue under the arm (armpit). This exam is done with you sitting up as well as with you laying down. As indicated, the complete physical exam of the breast tissue will often be augmented by the use of ultrasound, allowing a more accurate, real time evaluation of the breast tissue.
CBE is generally recommended as part of breast cancer screening for women. CBE continues to be a part of routine screening, even after you begin having mammograms.
At The Breast Health & Wellness Center, Dr. App combines the clinical breast exam with all of your personal information, resulting in a comprehensive breast examination which includes the following:
- Complete physical exam
- Detailed History identifying any risk factors present that may put you at increased risk for the development of breast disease
- Advancing age
- Being younger when you had your first menstrual period
- Starting menopause at a later stage
- Being older at the birth of your first child
- Never giving birth
- Not breast feeding
- Personal history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer
- Personal history of benign proliferative disease of the breast (non-cancerous) which includes Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia, Atypical Lobular Hyperplasia, Flat Epithelial Atypia, Lobular Carcinoma Insitu
- Personal History of previous breast biopsies
- Family history of breast cancer (mother, sister, daughter)
- Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/ chest wall in the past; for example Mantle field radiation for the treatment of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Being overweight
- Long term use of hormone replacement therapy (estrogen and progesterone combined)
- Using birth control pills (oral contraceptives)
- Drinking alcohol (more than one drink per day)
- Not getting regular exercise
- Detailed Family History including three generations which identifies your level of risk
- Calculation of Gail Risk Model and Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Model
- Real time review of your mammogram and any other imaging you may have completed
- As indicated, breast ultrasound which allows a real-time “look” inside the breast tissue
- Calculation of whether you are a candidate for high risk screening breast MRI
This comprehensive breast examination is the first step in optimal breast health and breast cancer prevention.