What is Clinical Breast Examination (CBE)?
Definition: A physical exam of the breasts and regional lymph nodes (axillary, supraclavicular) performed by a healthcare provider to detect abnormalities such as lumps or skin changes.
Purpose in Breast Cancer: Screening tool for early detection, especially in settings without access to mammography.
- Assessment of palpable breast masses or symptoms.
- Part of diagnostic workup if breast cancer is suspected.
- Procedure: Visual inspection and systematic palpation of both breasts, nipples, and regional lymph nodes, typically performed in both sitting and supine positions.
- Limitations: Less sensitive than mammography for detecting small tumors.
- May miss non-palpable or deep lesions.
- Role in Guidelines: Recommended as part of routine clinical evaluation in symptomatic women.
- In some low-resource settings, used alongside or instead of mammography for screening.
- Findings Suggestive of Breast Cancer: Palpable lumps, skin dimpling, nipple retraction or discharge, enlarged lymph nodes, skin changes like erythema or peau d’orange.
Synonyms
CBE