Breast Cancer Symptoms

Breast cancer symptoms can vary in a wide range because there are a lot of breast cancer types, and sometimes in its early stage there are no obvious symptoms at all. So it’s better to be informed of the possible symptoms so you can be aware of the changes in your body and go to your doctor as soon as you notice some abnormality.  Identifying breast cancer early means to have the possibility of a more effective treatment and a less aggressive one that can interfere with your life quality. In order for you to identify the first signs of breast cancer you need to know what your breasts normally feel like. During lifetime the breast can go throw different changes and not all of them are a sign of breast cancer. Some changes might be caused from breast cysts, some from the menstrual cycle, some from the activation of the milk-producing tissue, etc. So before you panic you should understand if there is a reason why your breast is changing.

 

Breast Cancer Symptoms

Here we are going to mention the most important breast cancer symptoms:

  • Changes in the shape, contour, and size of the breast or nipple.
  • A lump or swelling in the armpit or in the breast. It may have uneven edges and usually they don’t hurt. Lumps can be visible on a mammogram before they can be felt or seen. This is why woman after their 40 with higher risk for breast cancer should do regular breast exams and mammograms so the breast cancer is diagnosed in its early stages. Benign lumps differ from cancerous lumps. The first ones are round, soft and movable. If the lumps are otherwise oddly shaped, hard, and they seem firmly attached within the breast, they are likely cancerous lumps. But remember further testing is needed to diagnose the problem.
  • Changes on the skin of the breast or nipple. Often a reddish dimpling pitted surface that looks like the skin of the orange maybe a symptom of advanced breast cancer. These symptoms usually accompany a rare type of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer.
  • Changes in the nipple size, or shape could be a sign of breast cancer. Also ulceration, itching or burning sensation of the nipple are signs of breast cancer.
  • Changes in the nipple position. Sometimes it might be pulled up or points in a different direction.
  • Rash on the nipple or surrounding area usually found on Paget’s disease. It looks like eczema and it might feel itchy.
  • Sometimes fluids discharge from the nipple. They might be colorless or they might be colored by blood. Sometimes the fluids have a milk shade or yellow and look like pus.
  • Pain and tenderness can be symptoms for breast cancer.
  • Changes in a particular area of the breast that differ a lot from any other area on either breast.

Man can also get breast cancer, although they have less risk than woman.Most cases of male breast cancer are diagnosed in men between the ages of 60 and 70, but the condition can develop in men of any age. The most often symptoms of man breast cancer include breast pain and tenderness.
Having one of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean that you have breast cancer, because other condition in the human body can cause these symptoms. But if you notice anything abnormal you should talk to your doctor about it, so together you can decide what will be the next steps. Remember that the sooner breast cancer is diagnoses the bigger are your opportunities to fully recover from it and to live a happy.

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