REFERRAL GUIDELINES FOR SUSPECTED CANCER

             FOR GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

BREAST CANCER

URGENT REFERRALS

Of any age

• With a discrete, hard lump with fixation, with or without skin tethering
  Who are female, aged 30 years and older

• With a discrete lump that persists after their next period, or presents after menopause
  Who are female, aged younger than 30 years

• With a lump that enlarges

• With a lump that is fixed and hard

• In whom there are other reasons for concern such as family history

URGENT REFERRALS

Of any age

• With previous breast cancer, who present with a further lump or suspicious symptoms

• With unilateral eczematous skin or nipple change that does not respond to topical treatment

• With nipple distortion of recent onset

• With spontaneous unilateral bloody nipple discharge
  Who are male, aged 50 years and older with a:

• Unilateral, firm  subareolar mass with or without nipple distortion or associated skin changes.

NON URGENT REFERRALS

• Women aged younger than 30 years with a lump

• Patients with breast pain and no palpable abnormality, when initial treatment fails and/or with unexplained persistent symptoms
   

Information for the public and health professional is available from the NICE web site at www.nice.org.uk/CG027
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence