The Symptoms of Breast Disease: a practical guide to diagnosis and management

In the UK, women have a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Hereford County Hospital receives 1500 symptomatic breast referrals a year, 15% of whom will have cancer. I present the highly accurate and practical approach used at my hospital for confirming or excluding cancer in all women referred, relying on breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided core biopsy. The management of benign symptoms, once cancer has been excluded, is also discussed.