Word parts
What it means
The breasts are made of fat, connective tissue and, in women, milk glands and ducts that lead to the nipple. After birth, hormones make the glands produce milk for breastfeeding. Men have breast tissue too and can get breast cancer, though rarely. Lymph from the breast drains mostly to the lymph nodes in the armpit.
For the nurse
After a mastectomy with lymph nodes removed, avoid blood pressure readings, needle sticks and IVs in the arm on that side. Teach clients to know how their breasts normally look and feel and to report any lump, dimpling or nipple discharge.
At a glance
| Spanish | mama, seno |
|---|---|
| Also written | breasts |
Related terms
postpartum
The time after giving birth, usually the first six weeks, while the body returns to its non-pregnant state.
maternal
Having to do with a mother, or with a woman during pregnancy, birth and the weeks after.
carcinoma
A cancer that starts in the cells that line the skin or the inside and outside surfaces of organs.