What are the signs of breast cancer?

If your tire is broken, a warning sign may appear on your dashboard. If your smartphone battery is low, it may send you an alert. The human body has a similar alarm system. From hives and rashes to aches, fever and vomiting, your body has its own way of telling you something is wrong. Some signs are more accurate than others. Breast cancer is a disease that often causes a variety of more obvious signs and symptoms of breast cancer that can alert you to potential concerns to share with your doctor. Since early detection is key, doctors recommend that women know what these symptoms are and learn how to spot them.

Early signs and symptoms

One of these signs is the appearance of a new lump in the chest or armpit. “In general, if a woman is perimenopause and has a tumor that persists unchanged in the various stages of the second or third menstrual cycle, this area should be evaluated,” says Dr. John McKnight, MD, a medical oncologist at the Center for Advanced Medical Oncology. from the breast. At our hospital near Atlanta. “There are many changes in breast tissue during a normal menstrual cycle; some tissues may become inflamed and cysts may appear. But if a lump appears and remains, a doctor should evaluate it. For postmenopausal women, any lumps should be evaluated.”

A woman should also know if her breasts are becoming asymmetric, which means that one breast appears firmer or larger than the other. “It could mean that a lump is pulling the breast against the chest wall,” says Dr. Harita Pappathy, a medical oncologist who treats patients at the Advanced Breast Cancer Center at our hospital near Atlanta. “This should be reviewed by an obstetrician-gynecologist or primary care physician.”

Breast cancer can also change the appearance of the nipple. “If your nipple generally looks normal and starts to appear inverted, that’s a concern,” says Dr. Babathi. “There could be a lump that is pulling the nipple in.” Cancer can affect the nipple in other ways, too. “If you’re not breastfeeding, nothing should flow from the nipple,” says Dr. McKnight. Any secretions, especially blood, should be examined. It could be an infection or an infection, but it should be checked by a doctor.”

Changes in the skin, especially redness or inflammation of the skin of the breast, may indicate a less common type of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer. In some cases, the skin may be blistered or peeling, like an orange peel. “Just as the skin of an orange has small holes, the skin of the chest has small holes as well,” says Dr. Babathi. “This may indicate a type of breast cancer in which there is no lump.”

Talk to your doctor

When breast cancer spreads to the lymph nodes under the arm or around the collarbone, a lump or swelling often develops in the area. Dr. says. Babathi says that women should pay special attention to these changes. “It could mean that the cancer has spread,” he says. “This also needs to be reviewed by the health care provider.” Other possible signs include widespread pain in any part of the breast, itching or irritation of the breasts, changes in sensation (a sensation of pain or warmth), and peeling of the skin on the nipple.

Of course, any of these symptoms can be the result of conditions other than breast cancer, and not all types of breast cancer cause noticeable signs and symptoms. That’s why it’s important to discuss obvious changes in your breast health with your doctor and prioritize regular checkups and doctor visits.

Breast health begins with knowing how your breasts naturally look and feel. “I try to assure patients that they should be aware of their breast tissue,” says Dr. McKnight. “As a doctor, it is always best for the patient to be aware of their own body and know when they feel something unusual. That is why we recommend all women to do breast self-exams. If you feel anything unusual, your doctor should examine you.”

When breast cancer is caught early, there may be more options available to treat it. But paying attention to your body and doing regular self-examinations is only part of prevention and early detection. Mammograms and other screening tests are necessary to detect breast cancer, especially in its early stages, even before symptoms appear.

“We want to detect breast cancer before signs appear,” says Dr. McKnight. “We want to diagnose the disease before it has a great chance of spreading.”