31 Days of Breast Cancer Awareness – Common Symptoms

Early breast cancer usually does not cause pain. Still, a woman should see her health care provider about breast pain or any other symptom that does not go away.

Most often, these symptoms are not due to cancer. Other health problems may also cause them.

Any woman with these symptoms should tell her doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

The following are some of the symptoms that can indicate the presence of breast cancer.

Obviously symptoms can be different in different people.

* Changes in how the breast or nipple feels

o A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
A lump is a firm mass somewhere within the breast that can be felt by pressing on it. Women’s breasts normally get lumpy around the time of their period, and that is not a cause for concern. If a lump is detected at some other time of the month, or if a lump doesn’t disappear within a week of your period, you should consult your physician.

o Nipple tenderness
Of course this can be a normal occurrence for women especially around menstruation but tenderness that does not seem to fit your normal pattern should be addressed.

o Changes in the size or shape of the breast
Though it is normal for a woman’s breasts to be slightly different in size, a large difference that suddenly occurs is a cause for concern and could be a sign of breast cancer.

o A nipple turned inward (retracting)
This will either appear as your nipple retracting in towards your breast or a part of your breast retracting in. This is something you would most likely notice with your arms raised over your head.

o The skin of the breast, areola, or nipple turning scaly, red, or swollen.
It may have ridges or pitting so that it looks like the skin of an orange.

Also, these are a couple of other rare signs of breast cancer.

* Nipple discharge or bleeding from the nipple.
* Swollen lymph nodes (see picture of lymph node locations)

Please see Cancer.org to learn more about the symptoms that can indicate the presence of breast cancer.

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