Question

a 72 - year - old retired salesperson comes to the office with a bloody discharge from their left breast for 3 months. they deny any trauma to their breast. their past medical history includes high blood pressure and abdominal surgery for colon cancer. their aunt died of ovarian cancer and one parent died of colon cancer. their other parent died of a stroke. the client denies tobacco, alcohol, or drug use. they are widowed and have three healthy children. on examination the breasts are symmetrical with no skin changes. the nurse can express bloody discharge from the clients left nipple. no discrete masses are palpable, but the left axilla has a hard 1 - cm fixed node. the remainder of the heart, lung, abdominal, and pelvic examinations are unremarkable. what is the most likely cause of nipple discharge in the clients circumstance? galactorrhea breast cancer benign breast abnormality

Explanation:

Galactorrhea is usually non - bloody. The presence of a hard fixed axillary node in an older individual with a family history of cancer and persistent bloody nipple discharge makes breast cancer a more likely cause compared to a benign breast abnormality. Benign breast conditions usually do not present with such concerning associated findings like a hard axillary node.

Answer:

B. Breast cancer