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Breast: Guidelines for Urgent Referral
Urgent Referrals
- Patients with a discrete lump in the appropriate age group (e.g. age > 30)
- Signs which are highly suggestive of cancer such as:
- Ulceration
- Skin nodule
- Skin distortion
- Nipple eczema
- Recent nipple retraction or distortion (< 3 months)
Conditions that require referral – but not necessarily urgently
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Lump
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- Discrete lump in a younger woman (e.g. age < 30 years)
- Asymmetrical nodularity that persists at review after menstruation
- Abscess
- Persistently refilling or recurrent cyst
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Pain
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- Intractable pain not responding to reassurance, simple measures such as wearing a well supporting bra and common drugs
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Nipple
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- bilateral nipple discharge sufficient to stain clothes, regardless of age
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Discharge
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- bloodstained nipple discharge, regardless of age
- Age > 50 with any nipple discharge
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