In spite of urgings from women’s health groups, teaching hospitals, the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation to have regular mammograms (either annually or every two years), only about 65 percent of women in the United States have had a mammogram in the past two years.
Some women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have even had a mammogram within the last year. Most of these women discover their cancer because of one of these 10 symptoms of breast cancer.
1. Lumps
Finding a lump in your breast is scary, but most lumps are not cancerous. They are usually something less serious.
Lumps that are cancerous are usually firm and irregularly shaped. They might feel like they are attached to the surrounding tissue. Breast lumps can be caused by infections, injuries and hormonal changes or may be harmless cysts. Your healthcare professional will determine whether a biopsy is needed.
2. Bloody Discharge
Many women experience discharges from your nipples. This condition has many causing including pregnancy, breast-feeding, menstrual hormonal changes and fibrocystic changes. However, if a woman experiences a bloody discharge from just one breast, or it happens without squeezing your breast or comes from just one duct of her nipple, then she should make an appointment with her gynecologist.
Any persistent discharge, regardless of whether there is blood present or not, should trigger a doctor’s appointment for clarification. Particularly, discharges from just one breast should be monitored by a healthcare professional. Bloody or clear/yellow discharges that persistently stain your clothes should be assessed by a breast specialist.
3. Changes in Shape or Texture
Sometimes these changes in shape or texture of your breast are subtle. The skin can appear puckered or dimpled (like the skin of an orange). So what do you look for? Most women don’t take the time to look at their breasts in the mirror. Just like self-exams, you should look at your breasts on a regular basis – choose a date easy to remember like the 1st or 15th of every month.
Get to know what your breasts look like. They should be symmetrical (the same size and shape). The skin should be smooth. There shouldn’t be any dips, depressions of any shape, or puckered skin. Make sure that there is good lighting because these texture changes may be very subtle and only visible under certain lighting conditions.
4. Discomfort
Almost every woman experiences breast discomfort around the time of her period. But persistent discomfort not associated with one’s period may be cause for concern. Tenderness in just one breast should also be a red flag to mention to your doctor. Achiness that persists for more than a couple of menstrual cycles merit’s a doctor’s visit. If the pain is severe, then call your doctor immediately.
Women with fibrocystic breast disease may experience tenderness if they drink too much caffeine. Heavy breasts can cause pain too. Uncomfortable feelings are rarely a sign of breast cancer. But discomfort coupled with skin changes or discharge should be investigated by your gynecologist.
5. Redness
Most women may not expect that redness could be a symptom of breast cancer. But flushed skin is often seen along with swelling and/or a feeling of warmth in inflammatory breast cancer. Before a woman panics, patients need to know that there are other causes of redness to the breast. They include mastitis and cellulitis.
When you experience redden skin on the breast that lasts for more than a few days, it’s time to see a breast care specialist. It is far better to discover that you have an infection that can be treated with antibiotics than to wait too long and discover that you have inflammatory breast cancer. Redness is the most obvious symptom for most women with IBC.
6. Swollen Lymph Nodes
Sometimes when a woman is in the shower, she may accidentally stumble upon swollen lymph nodes, especially those in her underarm. If these are found, you should schedule an appointment with your gynecologist to check any swollen lymph nodes you’ve found.
They are not always a sign of cancer, but given the potential diagnosis of breast cancer, it’s best to err on the side of caution and find out the cause. Other causes include infections (bacterial or viral), reaction to a silicone implant and even a temporary reaction to a vaccine. If you have breast cancer, the lymph nodes in the armpit (call the axilla nodes) are the first place that they usually spread.
7. Inverted Nipple
An inverted nipple may or may not be a symptom of breast cancer. If you’ve always had normal nipples and experience a newly inverted nipple, it’s wise to get to your breast care physician for a checkup. Many women (and men) have inverted nipples. In fact, they are quite common.
But if they appear suddenly, it can be a sign of breast cancer. Changes in the appearance of your breasts should always trigger a visit to your OB/GYN. Sometimes, the cause of an inverted nipple is a breast cancer growing beneath the nipple. Only a healthcare professional can evaluate your particular situation and order the screenings that you need.
8. Skin Irritation
Skin irritations can be an early symptom of inflammatory breast cancer. Of course, they can also be caused by allergies and or bites. If itching of the breast is accompanied by enlargement of your breast and a feeling that it is hot and inflamed, you should contact your breast care professional right away. Inflammatory breast cancer (known as IBC) doesn’t produce lumps. You might have dimpled skin that looks like an orange peel too.
Don’t delay as inflammatory breast cancer can be aggressive. While there are other causes for skin irritation, don’t take a chance with an itchy breast.
9. Breast Pain
Generally, breast pain is not a symptom of breast cancer. However, if you experience a clear or bloody discharge, find a lump, or experience signs of an infection like a discharge of pus, warmth or localized redness in addition to breast pain, you ought to make an appointment with your reproductive healthcare specialist.
Persistent aches and/or pain in one breast for which there is no logical reason (no injury, cut, scape or rigorous exercise) is another reason to call your doctor. Particularly, if there is breast cancer in your family history, you shouldn’t ignore breast pain, especially if it is in just one breast.
10. Swelling
Occasionally, a woman may experience swelling, in or around her breast. It might be in her collarbone or armpit or just a slight puffiness of part of one breast. You might not feel a lump.
Swelling can be a symptom of inflammatory breast cancer, an aggressive form of cancer. Women should seek a qualified opinion from a breast care specialist if they experience enlargement of the entire breast or just a portion of the breast or if there is swelling in the collarbone area or in the armpit. Occasionally, you might notice accumulating fluid in one arm.
