The document provides guidance on examining the breasts and axillae. It discusses the components of breast tissue and functions of the breasts. It also outlines recommendations for clinical breast examinations including examining annually for women aged 40 and older, and every 1 to 3 years for women aged 20 to 39. The document notes that mammography and thermography screening most commonly begins after age 40 but can start earlier for those at high risk.

1. HEALTH ASSESSMENT
THE BREASTS AND AXILLAE
EXAMINATION
PREPARED BY:
USHA RANI KANDULA,
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
DEPARTMENT OF ADULT HEALTH NURSING,
ARSI UNIVERSITY, ASELLA, ETHIOPIA,
EAST AFRICA.

2. THE BREASTS AND AXILLAE
The breasts consist of --
Glandular,
Adipose, and
Connective tissue;
Smooth muscle;
And nerves .

3. -The functions of the female breast are—
 sexual stimulation and
milk production for nourishing offspring.

4. -Breast size and shape vary among women,
and commonly one breast is slightly larger than the other.

5. -At puberty, the ovaries produce estrogen and
progesterone, which stimulate the breasts to develop.

6. -The menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and breastfeeding also
enlarge breast tissue.
Although breasts are thought of as female organs, men also
have breasts.

7. -However, because of limited estrogen and progesterone
levels, male breasts develop only minimally.

8. -Breast tissue and lymph drainage for the breast extend up
into the axilla.
The majority of breast tumors are found in the tail of Spence,
in the axilla.
A breast exam therefore always includes an exam of the
axillae.

9. -Many women have breast reconstruction,
either after breast removal as a result of cancer or breast
augmentation for cosmetic reasons.

10. -These women should not omit breast examination,
and it is performed in exactly the same way as for natural
breasts.

11. CLINICAL BREAST EXAMINATION
-Clinical Breast Examination
You should perform a breast exam for the woman if she
cannot do it herself,
and demonstrate the procedure as part of client teaching for
self-care.

12. Clinical breast exams should be done annually for
women aged 40 and older,
and every 1 to 3 years for women aged 20 to 39 years.

14. -(American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
[ACOG], 2011).
Guidelines vary as to the age at which women should start
having clinical breast exams (CBE) and mammograms to
screen for breast cancer.

15. MAMMOGRAPHY AND THERMOGRAPHY
-Mammography and Thermography Annual or biennial
mammograms or breast thermography most commonly
begin after age 40,
or at a younger age and more often for those at high risk.

16. -ACOG recommends annual mammograms (ACOG, 2011;
American Cancer Society, n.d., last revised 2013a, n.d., last
revised 2013b).

17. -Controversy exists about whether women should continue
to have mammograms after age 74 .

18. THANKING YOU