What happens at the One-Stop Rapid Diagnosis Breast Clinic?

I will meet with you first to ask you questions that relate to your current concerns, your previous breast history, medications, family history and previous breast surgery (if any), including implants, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the contraceptive pill and your personal risk factors.

I will then physically examine you carefully including both breasts, sometimes the armpits (lymph nodes) and other areas (around the neck). I will provide you with information during each phase of the consultation and may already be reassuring you or highlighting a clinical concern. This process takes half an hour.

You can bring a partner/friend with you.

Every Rapid Diagnosis One-Stop Breast Clinic provides breast imaging at the same time to complete a thorough examination, and provide a definitive diagnosis. This usually occurs directly after the consultation. 

After your examination you will have one or more of the following:

Mammogram – state-of-the-art high quality digital X-RAY that screens both breasts and will always be performed in women 40 years and older, and occasionally in younger women if there is a concern, a high-risk family history or other risk factors. 

Ultrasound – is based on sound waves and it provides more information specifically on any particular lump, breast density or focal breast pain. It is the only breast imaging performed in most women under 40 years. 

Ultrasound is used together with mammograms in all women over 40 years with a lump or focal area of pain. It doesn’t replace mammograms in women over 40 years.

Needle (core) tissue biopsy – is performed using an ultrasound to guide the needle biopsy and occurs if there is a solid lump. It is performed in the one stop clinic and the results are available within 3-4 days depending on the tissue test required. 

Fine needle biopsy (FNA) – may be used to aspirate or draw fluid out of a cyst. A cyst is a benign fluid-filled lump, that develops from aging thin walled breast ducts that dilate and form cysts. This procedure is simple and quick and is deemed not painful.

It is mostly unnecessary to test cyst fluid, unless the cyst contains a solid component or bloody fluid.

Results from the mammogram and ultrasound tests occur on the same day as part of RAPID diagnosis. If there is any concern regarding the breast tests, I will need to see you with all the results to be able to recommend a personalised treatment/management plan in a follow up consultation within a few days.

The whole process for the One-Stop Rapid diagnosis clinic normally takes about an hour to two hours, depending on the tests.

Follow-up clinics may be necessary. This will be discussed during the consultation.

MRI – Additional breast imaging may be required in certain circumstances for example Dense Breasts (D) or certain types of breast cancer called invasive lobular cancer, high grade microscopic intraductal breast cancer called DCIS, and where there is more than one cancer in the breast called multifocal cancers. 

Onward referrals will be made if deemed necessary and with your approval.

Common breast problems found at a One-Stop Rapid Diagnosis Breast Clinic

• Breast abscess – Can be mainly associated with breast-feeding

• Cysts – Harmless, pockets of fluid that can be drained by fine needle aspiration

• Lumpiness of the breast – normal breast duct tissue that may come and go during the cycle, and is most common just before your period

• Fibroadenoma – Harmless, smooth, movable lump that usually occurs in younger women

• Mastalgia – Breast pain that often occurs at certain times in the monthly cycle (usually just before your period) or can occur at any time. It is most common in women between the ages of 30 – 50 and is very rarely associated with breast cancer

• Breast duct problems – the ducts (small drainage tubules leading to the nipple) can get enlarged and inflamed, hot and painful (mastitis). There may be a discharge from the nipple and sometimes a breast abscess

• Breast implant problems 

• Breast cancer

More information on the links below:

What to expect at a breast clinic appointment – Breast Cancer Now

Tests to diagnose at a breast clinic – Cancer Research UK

Diagnosis of breast cancer – Macmillan Support