 Finding breast cancer as early as possible
gives you a better chance of successful treatment. But
knowing what to look for is not a substitute for screening
mammograms and other tests, which can help find breast
cancer in its early stages, even before any symptoms appear.
Benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions
are much more common than breast cancer, but it is important
to let your health care team know about any changes in your
breast so they can be checked out right away.
Below are some common breast symptoms and
what they might mean.
A lump in your breast
A lump or mass in the breast is the most
common symptom of breast cancer. Such lumps are often hard
and painless, though some may be painful. Not all lumps are
cancer, though. There are a number of benign breast
conditions (like cysts) that can also cause lumps.
Still, it’s important to have your doctor
check out any new lump or mass right away. If it does turn
out to be cancer, the sooner it’s diagnosed the better.
Swelling in or around your breast,
collarbone, or armpit
Breast swelling can be caused by inflammatory
breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the
disease.
Swelling or lumps around your collarbone
or armpits can be caused by breast cancer that has spread to
lymph nodes in those areas. The swelling may occur even
before you can feel a lump in your breast, so if you have
this symptom, be sure to see a doctor.
Skin thickening or redness
If the skin of your breast starts to feel
thicker like an orange peel or gets red or scaly, have it
checked right away. Often, these are caused by mastitis, a
breast infection common among women who are breast feeding.
Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the
infection.
[to top of second column] |
 If your symptoms don’t improve after a week,
though, get checked again, because these symptoms can also be caused
by inflammatory breast cancer. This form of breast cancer can look a
lot like a breast infection, and because it grows quickly it’s
important to diagnose it as soon as possible.
Breast warmth and itching
Like skin thickening and redness, breast warmth
and itching may be symptoms of mastitis – or inflammatory breast
cancer. If antibiotics don’t help, see your doctor again.
Nipple changes
Breast cancer can sometimes cause changes to how
your nipple looks. If your nipple turns inward, or the skin on it
thickens or gets red or scaly, get checked by a doctor right away.
All of these can be symptoms of breast cancer.
Nipple discharge
A discharge (other than milk) from the nipple may
be alarming, but in most cases it is caused by injury, infection, or
a benign tumor (not cancer). Breast cancer is a possibility, though,
especially if the fluid is bloody, so your doctor needs to check it
out.
Pain
Although most breast cancers do not cause pain in
the breast, some do. More often, women have breast pain or
discomfort that is related to their menstrual cycle. This type of
pain is most common in the week or so before their periods, and
often goes away once menstruation begins.
Some other benign breast conditions, such as
mastitis, may cause a more sudden pain. In these cases the pain is
not related to the menstrual cycle. If you have breast pain that is
severe or persists and is not related to the menstrual cycle, you
should be checked by your doctor. You could have cancer or a benign
condition that needs to be treated.
[American Cancer Society] |
