A 45-year-old woman comes into the health clinic for her annual check-up. She mentions to the nurse that she has noticed dimpling of the right breast that has occurred in a few months. What assessment would be most appropriate for the nurse to make?
A) Evaluate the patient's milk production.
B) Palpate the area for a breast mass.
C) Assess the patient's knowledge of breast cancer.
D) Assure the patient that this likely an age-related change.
Ans: B
Feedback:
It would be most important for the nurse to palpate the breast to determine the presence of a mass and to refer the patient to her primary care provider. Edema and pitting of the skin may result from a neoplasm blocking lymphatic drainage, giving the skin an orange-peel appearance (peau d'orange), a classic sign of advanced breast cancer. Evaluation of milk production is required in lactating women. There is no indication of lactation in the scenario. The patient's knowledge of breast cancer is relevant, but is not a time-dependent priority. This finding is not an age-related change.
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