Palpable breast masses are common reasons for presenting to the primary care or emergency clinic setting. Although most palpable masses are benign in etiology, the possibility of malignancy exists and may be anxiety-inducing to patients. A systematic approach to history-taking, to clinical breast examination and to imaging is important for the adequate evaluation of a palpable breast mass.
This article aims to provide medical students with a stepwise approach to the evaluation and diagnosis of palpable breast masses. Given the wide spectrum of diseases associated with palpable masses, the differential diagnosis and management is out of the scope of this paper. However, we will touch upon the breast cancers most commonly associated with breast masses and briefly mention their respective treatments.