A 43-Year-Old Woman Is at the Clinic for a Routine

A 43-year-old woman is at the clinic for a routine examination. She reports that she has had a lump in her right breast for years. Recently, it has begun to change in consistency and is becoming harder. She reports that 5 years ago her physician evaluated the lump and determined that it was "nothing to worry about." The nurse's examination validates the presence of a mass in the right upper outer quadrant at 1 o'clock, approximately 5 cm from the nipple. It is firm, mobile, and nontender, with borders that are not well defined. What is the best response by the nurse?

A) "Because of the change in consistency of the lump, it should be further evaluated by a physician."
B) "The changes could be r/t your menstrual cycles. Keep track of the changes in the mass each month."
C) "The lump is probably nothing to worry about because it has been present for years and was determined to be noncancerous 5 years ago."
D) "Because you are experiencing no pain and the size has not changed, you should continue to monitor the lump and return to the clinic in 3 months."