BREAST CANCER EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2025/2026.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer? (12) - ANS 1. Age ≥50
2. Use of estrogen or progesterone therapy after menopause
3. Family history, especially in a first-degree relative
4. Genetic mutations BRCA1 or 2 (BReast CAncer susceptibility genes)
5. Personal history of breast, colon, endometrial, or ovarian cancer
6. First period before age 12
7. Menopause after age 55
8. Dense breast tissue
9. Benign breast disease with atypical biopsy
10. Weight gain and obesity
11. Alcohol consumption
12. Exposure to ionizing radiation
What is the most common cancer in women, and what accounts for the most cancer deaths in
women? - ANS Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States
except for some forms of skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women,
next to lung cancer.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is the classification of breast cancer dependent on? - ANS The classification of breast
cancer is dependent on the type of tissue involved, tumor invasiveness, and the cancer's
hormone receptor and genetic status
What type of tissue do most breast cancers arise from? - ANS In general, breast cancer arises
from the epithelial lining of the ducts (ductal carcinoma) or from the epithelium of the lobules
(lobular carcinoma).
What are some examples of breast cancers classified by tissue type? (3) - ANS 1. Ductal
carcinoma (affects milk ducts):
--Medullary
--Tubular
--Colloid
2. Lobular carcinoma (affects milk-producing glands)
3. Other Inflammatory:
--Paget's disease
--Phyllodes tumor
How are breast cancers classified by invasiveness? (2) - ANS Breast malignancy may be in situ
(within the duct) or invasive (arising from the duct and invading through the wall of the duct).
What are some examples of breast cancers classified by invasiveness? (2) - ANS 1.
Noninvasive (In Situ):
Ductal carcinoma in situ
Lobular carcinoma in situ
2. Invasive:
Invasive ductal carcinoma
Invasive lobular carcinoma
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,How are breast cancers classified by hormone receptor and genetic status? - ANS 1. Some
cancers respond to the presence of estrogen or progesterone.
2. HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is a protein that regulates cell growth
What are some examples of breast cancer classification by hormone receptor or genetic status?
(3) - ANS Receptor:
1. Can be estrogen receptor positive or negative
2. Can be progesterone receptor positive or negative
HER-2:
3. HER-2 positive or HER-2 negative
How is breast cancer usually detected? - ANS Breast cancer is usually detected either as a
lump in the breast or after routine screening tests
Where is breast cancer most often found in the breast? - ANS It occurs mostly in the upper
outer quadrant of the breast where the glandular tissue is abundant.
What are common manifestations of breast cancer? (4) - ANS 1. A lump that is hard, may be
irregularly shaped, poorly delineated, nonmobile, and nontender
2. Nipple discharge that is usually one-sided and may be clear or bloody, with or without nipple
retraction
3. Thickened skin with exaggerated markings giving the skin an orange peel appearance (peau
d'orange)
4. Induration and dimpling of skin
Name screening methods for breast cancer. - ANS 1. Physical examination of breast and
lymphatics
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, 2. Mammography and ultrasound
3. Breast MRI
What are some diagnostic studies for breast cancer? (5) - ANS 1. Mammography
2. Digital mammography
3. 3D mammopgraphy
4. Biopsy including fine-needle aspiration and stereotactic core biopsy
What are some diagnostic studies that we perform to classify breast cancer? - ANS 1. Axillary
lymph node dissection
2. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy
3. Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Status
4. Cell-Proliferation Indices
5. Genomic Assay
What are some specific factors that affect cancer prognosis? (6) - ANS 1. Tumor size
2. Axillary node involvementThe more nodes involved, the worse the prognosis
3. Tumor differentiation (morphology of malignant cells)
4. Estrogen and progesterone receptor status
5. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) status
6. Triple negative cancer: An aggressive tumor with a poorer prognosis. A patient whose breast
cancer tests negative for all three receptors (estrogen, progesterone, and HER-2)
What act greatly improves cancer prognosis? - ANS Early detection of breast cancer greatly
improves the prognosis. Women should be instructed to perform self-breast exams EVERY
month and be sensitive to subtle changes in breast tissue or appearance
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2025/2026.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer? (12) - ANS 1. Age ≥50
2. Use of estrogen or progesterone therapy after menopause
3. Family history, especially in a first-degree relative
4. Genetic mutations BRCA1 or 2 (BReast CAncer susceptibility genes)
5. Personal history of breast, colon, endometrial, or ovarian cancer
6. First period before age 12
7. Menopause after age 55
8. Dense breast tissue
9. Benign breast disease with atypical biopsy
10. Weight gain and obesity
11. Alcohol consumption
12. Exposure to ionizing radiation
What is the most common cancer in women, and what accounts for the most cancer deaths in
women? - ANS Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States
except for some forms of skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women,
next to lung cancer.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is the classification of breast cancer dependent on? - ANS The classification of breast
cancer is dependent on the type of tissue involved, tumor invasiveness, and the cancer's
hormone receptor and genetic status
What type of tissue do most breast cancers arise from? - ANS In general, breast cancer arises
from the epithelial lining of the ducts (ductal carcinoma) or from the epithelium of the lobules
(lobular carcinoma).
What are some examples of breast cancers classified by tissue type? (3) - ANS 1. Ductal
carcinoma (affects milk ducts):
--Medullary
--Tubular
--Colloid
2. Lobular carcinoma (affects milk-producing glands)
3. Other Inflammatory:
--Paget's disease
--Phyllodes tumor
How are breast cancers classified by invasiveness? (2) - ANS Breast malignancy may be in situ
(within the duct) or invasive (arising from the duct and invading through the wall of the duct).
What are some examples of breast cancers classified by invasiveness? (2) - ANS 1.
Noninvasive (In Situ):
Ductal carcinoma in situ
Lobular carcinoma in situ
2. Invasive:
Invasive ductal carcinoma
Invasive lobular carcinoma
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,How are breast cancers classified by hormone receptor and genetic status? - ANS 1. Some
cancers respond to the presence of estrogen or progesterone.
2. HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is a protein that regulates cell growth
What are some examples of breast cancer classification by hormone receptor or genetic status?
(3) - ANS Receptor:
1. Can be estrogen receptor positive or negative
2. Can be progesterone receptor positive or negative
HER-2:
3. HER-2 positive or HER-2 negative
How is breast cancer usually detected? - ANS Breast cancer is usually detected either as a
lump in the breast or after routine screening tests
Where is breast cancer most often found in the breast? - ANS It occurs mostly in the upper
outer quadrant of the breast where the glandular tissue is abundant.
What are common manifestations of breast cancer? (4) - ANS 1. A lump that is hard, may be
irregularly shaped, poorly delineated, nonmobile, and nontender
2. Nipple discharge that is usually one-sided and may be clear or bloody, with or without nipple
retraction
3. Thickened skin with exaggerated markings giving the skin an orange peel appearance (peau
d'orange)
4. Induration and dimpling of skin
Name screening methods for breast cancer. - ANS 1. Physical examination of breast and
lymphatics
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, 2. Mammography and ultrasound
3. Breast MRI
What are some diagnostic studies for breast cancer? (5) - ANS 1. Mammography
2. Digital mammography
3. 3D mammopgraphy
4. Biopsy including fine-needle aspiration and stereotactic core biopsy
What are some diagnostic studies that we perform to classify breast cancer? - ANS 1. Axillary
lymph node dissection
2. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy
3. Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Status
4. Cell-Proliferation Indices
5. Genomic Assay
What are some specific factors that affect cancer prognosis? (6) - ANS 1. Tumor size
2. Axillary node involvementThe more nodes involved, the worse the prognosis
3. Tumor differentiation (morphology of malignant cells)
4. Estrogen and progesterone receptor status
5. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) status
6. Triple negative cancer: An aggressive tumor with a poorer prognosis. A patient whose breast
cancer tests negative for all three receptors (estrogen, progesterone, and HER-2)
What act greatly improves cancer prognosis? - ANS Early detection of breast cancer greatly
improves the prognosis. Women should be instructed to perform self-breast exams EVERY
month and be sensitive to subtle changes in breast tissue or appearance
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
