What Are The Main Symptoms Of Breast Cancer

How Is It Diagnosed

Depending on your age and risk factors, the doctor may recommend that you have a mammogram. A mammogram can often find a lump that is too small to feel.

During a regular physical exam, your doctor can check your breasts for lumps or changes. You also may find a lump during a breast self-exam.

If there are concerns, the doctor will check to see if there is cancer by examining a sample of cells . The results of the biopsy help your doctor know if you have cancer and what type of cancer it is.

You may have other tests to find out the stage of the cancer. The stage is a way for doctors to describe how far the cancer has spread.

Any Nipple Dischargeparticularly Clear Discharge Or Bloody Discharge

It is also important to note that a milky discharge that is present when a woman is not breastfeeding should be checked by her doctor, although it is not linked with breast cancer.

Let your doctor know about any nipple discharge, clear, bloody or milky. The most concerning discharges are bloody or clear.

Your Breast Is Changing Colors

Another symptom of inflammatory breast cancer is when your breast skin turns pink or reddish on more than half the breastsomething that can be hard to tell in those with darker skin tones. “Sometimes these changes in coloration can be difficult to find in African Americans and in obese patients with very large breasts,” Ricardo H. Alvarez, MD, leads the Breast Cancer Center Institute at Cancer Treatment Centers of America , said on the CTCA website. And for harmful habits you should be aware of, check out 30 Things You Had No Idea Could Cause Cancer.

Recommended Reading: Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Symptoms

What Are The Symptoms Of Breast Cancer

Breast pain can be a symptom of cancer. If you have any symptoms that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away.

Different people have different symptoms of breast cancer. Some people do not have any signs or symptoms at all.

Some warning signs of breast cancer are

• 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 or 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.

Keep in mind that these symptoms can happen with other conditions that are not cancer.

If you have any signs or symptoms that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away.

There’s Dimpling On Your Breast Skin

Noticing some dimpling in the skin of one of your breasts might not seem like a big deal, but it could be a sign of breast cancer, says the Mayo Clinic. The issuewhich is called peau d’ orange, due to its resemblance of the texture of an orange peelcould be a sign of a more invasive type 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.

Symptoms Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer may not cause any signs or symptoms in its early stages. Signs and symptoms often appear when the tumour grows large enough to be felt as a lump in the breast or when the cancer spreads to surrounding tissues and organs. Other health conditions can cause the same symptoms as breast cancer.

The most common symptom of ductal carcinoma is a firm or hard lump that feels very different from the rest of the breast. It may feel like it is attached to the skin or the surrounding breast tissue. The lump doesnt get smaller or come and go with your period. It may be tender, but its usually not painful. .

Lobular carcinoma often does not form a lump. It feels more like the tissue in the breast is getting thicker or harder.

Other symptoms of ductal and lobular breast cancer include:

• a lump in the armpit
• changes in the shape or size of the breast
• changes to the nipple, such as a nipple that suddenly starts to point inward
• discharge that comes out of the nipple without squeezing it or that has blood in it

Late signs and symptoms occur as the cancer grows larger or spreads to other parts of the body, including other organs. Late symptoms of breast cancer include:

• bone pain

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Your Breast Looks Like It Has Been Bruised

If your breast is starting to have a bruised appearance with no other reason for the discoloration, the Mayo Clinic says it could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancersomething that can easily be confused with an infection. And for things you can do to improve your overall well-being, check out 100 Easy Ways to Be a Healthier Woman.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Symptoms

Metastatic breast cancer symptoms depend on the part of the body to which the cancer has spread and its stage. Sometimes, metastatic disease may not cause any symptoms.

• If the breast or chest wall is affected, symptoms may include pain, nipple discharge, or a lump or thickening in the breast or underarm.
• If the bones are affected, symptoms may include pain, fractures, constipation or decreased alertness due to high calcium levels.
• If tumors form in the lungs, symptoms may include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, coughing, chest wall pain or extreme fatigue.
• If the liver is affected, symptoms may include nausea, extreme fatigue, increased abdominal girth, swelling of the feet and hands due to fluid collection and yellowing or itchy skin.
• If breast cancer spreads to the brain or spinal cord and forms tumors, symptoms may include pain, confusion, memory loss, headache, blurred or double vision, difficulty with speech, difficulty with movement or seizures.

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Symptom Signature Of Breast Cancer Individual Symptoms

A total of 2316/2783 of symptomatic women with breast cancer were included in the analysis . Among them, 2543 symptoms were recorded, averaging 1.1 symptoms per woman. A total of 56 distinct presenting symptoms were reported in the study population , in 95 unique phenotypes. Breast lump was the most common symptom, recorded in about four-fifths of all women . The next most commonly reported presenting symptoms were nipple abnormalities , breast pain , and breast skin abnormalities .

Symptoms Of Angiosarcoma Of The Breast

Another rare form of breast cancer, angiosarcoma forms inside the lymph and blood vessels. Only a biopsy may definitively diagnose this type of cancer. Angiosarcoma can cause changes to the skin of your breast, such as the development of purple-colored nodules that resemble a bruise. These nodules, if bumped or scratched, may bleed. Over time, these discolored areas may expand, making your skin appear swollen in that area. You may or may not have breast lumps with angiosarcoma. If you also have lymphedema, which is swelling caused by a buildup of lymphatic fluid, angiosarcoma may occur in the affected arm. Cancer treatment sometimes damages the lymph vessels, which may lead to lymphedema.

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What Are The Screening Tests For Breast Cancer And Who Can Get One

Screening tests mean checking for the presence of cancer even if there are no symptoms or signs. They can help find breast cancer early so that treatment can be initiated at the earliest.

Breast cancer is easier to treat successfully when it has been found early and is small. Therefore, taking a regular breast cancer screening test becomes so important.

The American Cancer Society recommends women with an average risk undergo a basic cancer screening test that includes a mammogram. Recommendations depend on their age.

• Between 40 and 44 years: Women have the option of going or not going for a mammogram every year.
• Between 45 and 54 years: Women should get mammograms every year.
• 55 years and older: Women can consider a mammogram every alternate year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms. They should continue doing the screening as long as they are healthy and are expected to live for at least 10 more years.

Average risk women include those with:

• No personal history of breast cancer.
• No strong family history of breast cancer or a genetic change related to an increased risk of breast cancer.
• No history of chest radiation therapy before the age of 30 years.

You’re Experiencing Abnormal Tenderness Or Pain

You might experience some tenderness around your period, and that’s totally normal. If you’re experiencing persistent or severe pain, though, and you know it’s not due to your menstrual cycle, the American Cancer Society says it should be checked out. Even though breast cancers don’t normally cause pain and tenderness, it’s still a possibility.

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A Change In The Breast Or Nipple Appearance

• Any unexplained change in the size or shape of the breast
• Dimpling anywhere on the breast
• Unexplained swelling of the breast
• Unexplained shrinkage of the breast
• Recent asymmetry of the breasts. Although it is common for women to have one breast that is slightly larger than the other, if the onset of asymmetry is recent, it should be checked.
• Nipple that is turned slightly inward or inverted
• Skin of the breast, areola, or nipple that becomes scaly, red, or swollen or may have ridges or pitting resembling the skin of an orange

Signs Of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Despite initial treatment and success, breast cancer can sometimes come back. This is called recurrence. Recurrence happens when a small number of cells escape the initial treatment.

Symptoms of a recurrence in the same place as the first breast cancer are very similar to symptoms of the first breast cancer. They include:

• a new breast lump
• redness or swelling of the breast
• a new thickening near the mastectomy scar

If breast cancer comes back regionally, it means that the cancer has returned to the lymph nodes or near to the original cancer but not exactly the same place. The symptoms may be slightly different.

Symptoms of a regional recurrence may include:

• lumps in your lymph nodes or near the collarbone
• chest pain
• pain or loss of sensation in your arm or shoulder
• swelling in your arm on the same side as the original breast cancer

If youve had a mastectomy or other surgery related to breast cancer, you might get lumps or bumps caused by scar tissue in the reconstructed breast. This isnt cancer, but you should let your doctor know about them so they can be monitored.

As with any cancer, early detection and treatment are major factors in determining the outcome. Breast cancer is easily treated and usually curable when detected in the earliest of stages.

The best way to fight breast cancer is early detection. Talk with your doctor about when you should start scheduling regular mammograms.

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Breast Examination After Treatment For Breast Cancer

After surgery

The incision line may be thick, raised, red and possibly tender for several months after surgery. Remember to examine the entire incision line.

If there is redness in areas away from the scar, contact your physician. It is not unusual to experience brief discomforts and sensations in the breast or nipple area .

At first, you may not know how to interpret what you feel, but soon you will become familiar with what is now normal for you.

After breast reconstruction

Following breast reconstruction, breast examination for the reconstructed breast is done exactly the same way as for the natural breast. If an implant was used for the reconstruction, press firmly inward at the edges of the implant to feel the ribs beneath. If your own tissue was used for the reconstruction, understand that you may feel some numbness and tightness in your breast. In time, some feeling in your breasts may return.

After radiation therapy

After radiation therapy, you may notice some changes in the breast tissue. The breast may look red or sunburned and may become irritated or inflamed. Once therapy is stopped, the redness will disappear and the breast will become less inflamed or irritated. At times, the skin can become more inflamed for a few days after treatment and then gradually improve after a few weeks. The pores in the skin over the breast also may become larger than usual.

What to do

What Clinical Trials Are Available For Women With Inflammatory Breast Cancer

NCI sponsors clinical trials of new treatments for all types of cancer, as well as trials that test better ways to use existing treatments. Participation in clinical trials is an option for many patients with inflammatory breast cancer, and all patients with this disease are encouraged to consider treatment in a clinical trial.

Descriptions of ongoing clinical trials for individuals with inflammatory breast cancer can be accessed by searching NCIs list of cancer clinical trials. NCIs list of cancer clinical trials includes all NCI-supported clinical trials that are taking place across the United States and Canada, including the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD. For information about how to search the list, see Help Finding NCI-Supported Clinical Trials.

People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from NCIs Cancer Information Service at 18004CANCER and in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. Additional information about clinical trials is available online.

Selected References

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Other Causes Of Pain And Tenderness

We often associate pain with something wrong, so when people feel tenderness or pain in their breast, they often think of breast cancer. But breast pain is rarely the first noticeable symptom of breast cancer. Several other factors can cause the pain.

Clinically known as mastalgia, breast pain can also be caused by the following:

• the fluctuation of hormones caused by menstruation

What Are The Treatments For Breast Cancer

Treatments for breast cancer include:

• Surgery such as
• A mastectomy, which removes the whole breast
• A lumpectomy to remove the cancer and some normal tissue around it, but not the breast itself

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How Can I Protect Myself From Breast Cancer

Follow these three steps for early detection:

• Get a mammogram. The American Cancer Society recommends having a baseline mammogram at age 35, and a screening mammogram every year after age 40. Mammograms are an important part of your health history. Recently, the US Preventive Services Task Force came out with new recommendations regarding when and how often one should have mammograms. These include starting at age 50 and having them every two years. We do not agree with this, but we are in agreement with the American Cancer Society and have not changed our guidelines, which recommend yearly mammograms starting at age 40.
• Examine your breasts each month after age 20. You will become familiar with the contours and feel of your breasts and will be more alert to changes.
• Have your breast examined by a healthcare provider at least once every three years after age 20, and every year after age 40. Clinical breast exams can detect lumps that may not be detected by mammogram.

Further Tests For Breast Cancer

If a diagnosis of breast cancer is confirmed, more tests will be needed to determine the stage and grade of the cancer, and to work out the best method of treatment.

If your cancer was detected through the NHS Breast Screening Programme, you’ll have further tests in the screening centre before being referred for treatment.

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Types Of Breast Cancer:

In many cases, the subtype of breast cancer cant be identified until imaging and a biopsy are done, but these are the main types to be aware of:

Ductal carcinoma

Ductal just means that it started in the milk ducts, says , a breast medical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Tower Hematology Oncology in Beverly Hills, California. Ductal carcinoma can present in a variety of ways so there aren’t really specific signs to watch for. In the beginning, it’s considered non-invasive, but as soon as the cancer leaves the ducts, it becomes invasive. While ductal cancer is the most common type of breast cancer, there are many rare subtypes under the ductal umbrella, including medullary breast cancer and mucinous breast cancer.

Lobular carcinoma

Lobular cancer means that it started in the lobules, which form the milk, says Dr. El-Masry. This subtype tends to result in a thickening of the skin rather than a lump, according to El-Ashry but of course, everyones body is different. If the cancer spreads beyond the lobules, thats when its considered to be invasive.

Breast sarcoma

Breast sarcomas are very rare, but they originate in the connective tissue of the breast rather than the ducts or lobules. Two subtypes of breast sarcomas include angiosarcoma and phyllodes tumor.

Inflammatory breast cancer

Pagets disease of the breast

Metastatic breast cancer

Recurrent breast cancer

Hormone-fueled breast cancer