What Are The Common Signs And Symptoms Of Breast Cancer
The following early signs and symptoms of breast cancer can happen with other conditions that are not cancer related.
- New lump in the breast or underarm
- Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
- Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
- Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area of the breast
- Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
- Pain in any area of the breast
The Earliest Symptoms Of Breast Cancer Are Often Better Felt Than Seen
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. It afflicts both women and men. One of the most common cancers in women, it affects around 2.1 million women each year.
The earliest symptoms of breast cancer, however, are often better felt than seen, hence being aware of ones breast by regular examination by self or a clinician, can help detect sudden changes that warrant further investigation, says Dr Geeth Monnappa, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Fortis La Femme Hospital, Richmond Road, Bengaluru.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the doctor explains that although the emphasis has always been on the detection of lumps in the breast or armpit, one needs to know about other signs of cancer that need immediate attention. These are:
1. Change in the size or shape of the breast
Its common for breasts to swell and feel painful prior to a period. But if you notice a change in the size of one breast in particular, its probably best to consult your doctor about it.
2. Nipple discharge
Any discharge from the breast thats watery, bloody or milky, in a person who isnt breastfeeding, needs a complete evaluation.
3. Pulling in of the nipple
Although many people have flat or inverted nipples as a normal feature, if you notice that your nipples are pointing inwards instead of outward of late, consult your doctor.
4. Redness or flaky skin in the nipple or breast
5. Irritation or dimpling of the breast skin
Screening for early detection
Causes Of Breast Cancer: How Did This Happen
When youre told that you have breast cancer, its natural to wonder what may have caused the disease. But no one knows the exact causes of breast cancer. Doctors seldom know why one woman develops breast cancer and another doesnt, and most women who have breast cancer will never be able to pinpoint an exact cause. What we do know is that breast cancer is always caused by damage to a cells DNA.
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Be On The Lookout And Speak Up
Any changes to the look or feel of your breasts shouldn’t be ignored. Chances are, something other than cancer is the cause. But it’s always best to let your primary care practitioner know if you’re having any of the following possible signs or symptoms of breast cancer:
- A lump or thickening in or near a breast or in the underarm area.
- A change in the size or shape of a breast.
- A dimple or puckering in the skin of a breast.
- A nipple that has turned inward or a sore near the nipple.
- Fluid, other than breast milk, leaking from a nipple, especially if the fluid is bloody or leaks from only one breast.
- Skin irritation or changes such as puckering, dimpling, scaliness, or new creases anywhere on a breast, nipple, or areola .
- Dimples in a breast that look like the skin of an orange.
- Pain in a breast, especially if the pain doesn’t go away.
Your practitioner will ask you how long and how often you’ve been experiencing these signs and symptoms. They’ll also examine your breasts. And if necessary, they may take a sample of your blood and order tests like a mammogram, an ultrasound, or a breast MRI. You may need a biopsy if results of those tests suggest something suspicious.
The thought of having breast cancer can be scary. But try to remember that other conditions can cause changes to your breasts. That’s why it’s always best to see your practitioner and get a diagnosis.
Learn More About the Different Types of Breast Cancer
Can Exercise Help Reduce My Risk Of Developing Breast Cancer
Exercise is a big part of a healthy lifestyle. It can also be a useful way to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer in your postmenopausal years. Women often gain weight and body fat during menopause. People with higher amounts of body fat can be at a higher risk of breast cancer. However, by reducing your body fat through exercise, you may be able to lower your risk of developing breast cancer.
The general recommendation for regular exercise is about 150 minutes each week. This would mean that you work out for about 30 minutes, five days each week. However, doubling the amount of weekly exercise to 300 minutes can greatly benefit postmenopausal women. The longer duration of exercise allows for you to burn more fat and improve your heart and lung function.
The type of exercise you do can vary the main goal is get your heart rate up as you exercise. Its recommended that your heart rate is raised about 65 to 75% of your maximum heart rate during exercise. You can figure out your maximum heart rate by subtracting your current age from 220. If you are 65, for example, your maximum heart rate is 155.
Aerobic exercise is a great way to improve your heart and lung function, as well as burn fat. Some aerobic exercises you can try include:
- Walking.
- Dancing.
- Hiking.
Remember, there are many benefits to working more exercise into your weekly routine. Some benefits of aerobic exercise can include:
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How To Check Your Breasts
Theres no special way to check your breasts and you do not need any training.
Checking your breasts is as easy as TLC:
- Touch your breasts: can you feel anything new or unusual?
- Look for changes: does anything look different to you?
- Check any new or unusual changes with a GP
Everyone will have their own way of touching and looking for changes.
Get used to checking regularly and be aware of anything thats new or different for you.
Check your whole breast area, including up to your collarbone and armpits.
Types Of Breast Cancer
There are two categories that reflect the nature of breast cancer:
- Noninvasive cancer is cancer that hasnt spread from the original tissue. This is referred to as stage 0.
- Invasive cancer is cancer thats spread to surrounding tissues. These are categorized as stages 1, 2, 3, or 4.
The tissue affected determines the type of cancer:
- Ductal carcinoma is a cancer that forms in the lining of the milk ducts. This is the most common type of breast cancer.
- Lobular carcinoma is cancer in the lobules of the breast. The lobules are where milk is produced.
- Sarcoma is cancer in the breasts connective tissue. This is a rare type of breast cancer.
When you visit your doctor with concerns about breast pain, tenderness, or a lump, there are common tests they might perform.
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Changes To The Nipple And Discharge
One area of the breast where cancer is most obvious is below the nipple. The presence of cancerous breast tissue can cause changes in appearance as well as sensitivity. The nipple may also have an unusual texture and feel more tender. Another sign of breast cancer is a non-lactating nipple that secretes fluid, blood or milk. This happens when the tumor forms in or behind the milk duct. In both cases, a medical examination is crucial for early detection and treatment.
Breast Cancer: Watch Out For These Symptoms
Its time to talk about the C-word. Last year, there were more than two million new cases of breast cancer around the world, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. While anyone can be diagnosed with the disease, women need to be particularly on guard. In fact, the illness is now the most commonly occurring type of cancer in women.
One of the best ways to protect yourself is to perform self-examinations and keep an eye on warning signs. So, do you know the main symptoms of breast cancer and how to spot them? Lets take a look at 20 signs to watch out for.
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How Does Breast Cancer Start
Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast grow out of control. Different kinds of breast cells develop into different . Most breast cancers begin in the breast ducts or lobules . These are known respectively as invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma. Other less common types of breast cancer include inflammatory breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ.
Though breast cancer is most common in women, men can develop it as well. A mans lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 883. This year, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 2,620 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Rare Signs Of Breast Cancer
17 October, 2018
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. It mostly affects women, though men are occasionally diagnosed as well. The risk of developing this disease increases with age, but if detected early, the survival rate is significantly better. Are you familiar with these rare signs of breast cancer? Being able to identify them could save your life.
It is important to go for regular tests after you turn 40 because that is when breast cancer is most likely to strike. However, breast cancer can also affect much younger people. Unfortunately, these cases tend to be more aggressive.
Regardless of age, early detection is key to successful treatment. This is why health experts recommend learning to identify the symptoms that occur at each stage of the disease.
The most common symptoms of breast cancer include lumps in the breast, changes in the skin or structure of the breast, foul-smelling nipple discharge. However, the American Cancer Society states that there are also some rare symptoms that should be carefully analyzed by a specialist. These symptoms might seem to indicate other health problems, but they could be signs of breast cancer.
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Be Aware Of Your Breasts To Detect Breast Cancer Symptoms Early
Studies show that regular breast self-exams are not the best way to detect breast cancer early.
What does work? Being aware of how your breasts look and feel and seeing a doctor as soon as you notice changes or abnormalities.
The vast majority of breast cancers are found during daily activities like showering, applying deodorant or even scratching, says Therese Bevers, M.D., medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center.
Bevers advises women to see a doctor if they have one or more symptoms of breast cancer, no matter how mild they may seem.
You dont need to wait for any particular size or severity of symptoms to get checked out, she says. “The earlier that breast cancer is detected, the better our chances of treating it successfully.”
And you shouldnt ignore symptoms just because you breasts don’t hurt. Pain is rarely a symptom of breast cancer, she says.
The vast majority of breast cancers are found during daily activitieslike showering, applying deodorant or even scratching.
Therese Bevers, M.D.
Presence Of A Welt On The Breast
Yet another one of the early signs of breast cancer is the presence of a welt on the breast. If you have been experiencing any sort of welt around the breast. Often times, people tend to have this constant need to brush off the presence of the red marks and rashes as nothing serious which is where the problem arises from.
The induction of a welt like a bruise around the breast is a sign that you need to get the same checked out by the doctor as soon as possible. It is important to ensure that you do keep an eye out on the fact that the same is a possible sign of the inflammatory disease that needs immediate attention.
Consult a doctor without delay.
7.Irritation in your nipples
Yet another one of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer is the fact that it could cause irritation around your nipple region.
If you have been scratching and feeling uneasy because of the constant itching from the nipples, it is possible that the same is because of the spreading issues of breast cancer.
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Symptoms For Specific Types Of Cancer
Each form of breast cancer develops in a different part of the breast and can affect different types of tissue.
Since many breast cancers cause no symptoms, people should attend regular screenings. This can help identify the disease in its early stages.
Below, we outline the types of breast cancer and their symptoms.
Things To Know About The Signs And Symptoms Of Breast Cancer
Unusual changes in the breast can be symptoms of breast cancer: Swelling skin irritation or dimpling breast pain nipple pain or the nipple turning inward redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin a nipple discharge other than breast milk a lump in the underarm area
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In some cases, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. The lump may be too small for you to feel or not cause any changes you notice on your own. Sometimes an abnormal area turns up on a screening mammogram, which can lead to further testing.
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Sometimes the first sign of breast cancer is a lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer, although cancers can sometimes be tender, soft, and rounded. Have anything unusual checked by your doctor.
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Some symptoms also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous such as an infection or a cyst. Again: Its important to get any breast changes checked out promptly by a doctor.
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Clinical breast exams are important. Starting in your 20s and 30s, women should have a clinical breast exam as part of a regular health exam by a health professional, preferably every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.
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Early Signs Of Breast Cancer Know The Risks Before
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, there were over 2 million cases of breast cancer reported in the year of 2018. The main reason behind the rampant growth in the rate of breast cancer is mainly because of the fact that women arent well aware of the signs and symptoms that come along with the condition.
The symptoms of breast cancer are often misguiding and not understood by many people which is one of the primary reasons why you can end up getting the same diagnosis at a later stage in life.
Here, we are going to alert you with some of the early signs of breast cancer in females that you definitely need to know of.
What Is The Treatment For Metastatic Breast Cancer
The primary treatments for metastatic breast cancers are systemic therapies with medications. Medications may vary depending on the type of breast cancer and where it has spread. Medications may be administered as oral tablets, injections or infusions.
Breast cancer patients also have the option of registering for clinical trials for new treatments. Surgery and/or radiation therapy have limited use in treating metastatic breast cancer. Radiation therapy is the use of high energy rays or particles directed at the cancer cells to destroy them.
Surgery and/or radiation therapy may be used in metastatic breast cancer to:
- Remove the primary tumor in the breast if it is causing an open wound
- Treat small areas of the brain in case of brain metastasis
- Relieve pressure on the spinal cord in case of metastasis to the spine
- Prevent fractures in bone metastasis
- Treat blockage in the liver
- Provide relief from pain and other symptoms from metastatic cancer
Systemic therapies for metastatic cancer typically consist of a combination of two or more of the following therapies:
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Chemotherapy drugs kill all cells that are in the growth and division phases, including healthy ones. Chemotherapy is particularly toxic to cancer cells because they are always growing and dividing.
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How Breast Cancer Spreads
Breast cancer can spread when the cancer cells get into the blood or lymph system and are carried to other parts of the body.
The lymph system is a network of lymph vessels found throughout the body that connects lymph nodes . The clear fluid inside the lymph vessels, called lymph, contains tissue by-products and waste material, as well as immune system cells. The lymph vessels carry lymph fluid away from the breast. In the case of breast cancer, cancer cells can enter those lymph vessels and start to grow in lymph nodes. Most of the lymph vessels of the breast drain into:
- Lymph nodes under the arm
- Lymph nodes around the collar bone
- Lymph nodes inside the chest near the breast bone
If cancer cells have spread to your lymph nodes, there is a higher chance that the cells could have traveled through the lymph system and spread to other parts of your body. The more lymph nodes with breast cancer cells, the more likely it is that the cancer may be found in other organs. Because of this, finding cancer in one or more lymph nodes often affects your treatment plan. Usually, you will need surgery to remove one or more lymph nodes to know whether the cancer has spread.
Still, not all women with cancer cells in their lymph nodes develop metastases, and some women with no cancer cells in their lymph nodes develop metastases later.