What
are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The
breast symptoms which may indicate an underlying malignancy, (that is the
symptoms of breast cancer) are the following:
- a breast lump (by far the most common symptom)
- changes in the shape or the size of the breast
- dimpling (denting) of the skin or thickening in the breast tissue
- changes in the shape of the nipple, including nipple inversion (turning in)
- a rash (looking similar to eczema) of the nipple
- nipple discharge, especially if this is blood stained
- a swelling or a lump in the axilla (armpit), indicating an enlarged axillary lymph node, due to metastasis from a primary breast cancer.
However,
it must be mentioned that these symptoms may occur with benign (non-cancerous)
conditions of the breast too. Therefore, if a woman has any of these symptoms,
she should immediately see her doctor and has these investigated (usually by a
breast specialist), but she must not panic, as the most likely cause of her
symptoms is not breast cancer, but another benign condition. On average, only
about 1 in 10 women presenting to a breast specialist with a breast lump are
found to have breast cancer.
The first symptom of breast cancer most
women notice is a lump or an area of thickened tissue in their breast. Most
lumps (90%) are not cancerous, but it is always best to have them checked by
your doctor. You should see your doctor if you
notice any of the following:
- a lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast
- a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood)
- a lump or swelling in either of your armpits
- dimpling on the skin of your breasts
- a rash on or around your nipple
- a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
- pain in either of your breasts or armpits not related to your period.
The first symptom of breast cancer
for many women is a lump in their breast. But many women have breast lumps and
9 out of 10 (90%) are benign. That means they are not cancers. Most benign breast lumps are
- Areas of breast cell changes, causing lumpiness that is more obvious just before a period, particularly in women over 35
- Cysts – sacs of fluid in the breast tissue, which are quite common
- Fibroadenoma (FA) – a collection of fibrous glandular tissue (these are more common in younger women).
What to look out for
Changes that could be due to a breast
cancer include:
- A lump or thickening in an area of the breast
- A change in the size or shape of a breast
- Dimpling of the skin
- A change in the shape of your nipple, particularly if it turns in, sinks into the breast, or has an irregular shape
- A blood stained discharge from the nipple
- A rash on a nipple or surrounding area
- A swelling or lump in your armpit.
Like breast lumps, these signs don't
necessarily mean cancer. Inverted nipples, blood stained nipple discharge or a
rash can all be due to other medical conditions. But if any of these things
happen to you, you need to get it checked out. It is most likely to be a benign
condition that can easily be treated and seeing the doctor will put your mind
at rest. But if it does turn out to be a cancer you give yourself the best
chance of successful treatment by going to the doctor early on.
A rare type of breast cancer called
inflammatory breast cancer can have different symptoms. The whole breast
can look red and inflamed and can be very sore. The breast may feel hard. The
skin sometimes looks like orange peel because the pores stand out in the
inflamed area. Another rare type of breast cancer
shows up as a rash on and around the nipple. It is called Paget's
disease. The red, scaly rash can be itchy. It looks a bit like eczema and
is sometimes mistaken for that at first.
If you find a lump
You must see your doctor straight
away. If you notice anything unusual about your breast, have it examined. Even
though most breast lumps are benign, they need to be checked to rule out
cancer. Your doctor will examine you and if
necessary will send you to a specialist breast clinic for further checks. At
the clinic, they will be able to see on your mammogram or ultrasound scan if
the lump is a fluid filled cyst or a solid lump.
If it is a cyst, the doctor or nurse
may get rid of it by draining the fluid out through a fine needle. If it is a
solid lump, they will stick a very fine needle into it and take a tissue sample
to test for cancer cells. Some women prefer to have benign lumps
removed to stop them from worrying that it may be a cancer.
They may be
concerned that they will confuse the benign lumps with any other lumps they may
get in the future. But if you and your doctor are confident that the lump is
benign, you don't have to have it removed if you don't want to. Benign lumps
don't turn into cancer. If your lump is a cancer, the earlier
you have breast cancer treatment, the better your chance of cure.
Breast pain
Breast pain is very common and is not
usually due to cancer. Many healthy women find that their breasts feel lumpy
and tender before a period. And some benign breast lumps are painful. Many
women get pain in their breasts for a while, which goes after a time. There may
be no obvious reason for the pain, even with lots of tests. Most breast pain is
not caused by cancer, but some breast cancers do cause pain, so if you are
worried, see your doctor.
Source: NHS Choices.
Source: NHS Choices.