Breast cancer symptoms can alert you to possible cancerous growths in your breast tissue in order to follow up with a physician.
The Signs of Breast Cancer
One thing needs to be made clear when it comes to raising breast cancer awareness: not all cases of breast cancer are the same. Some women will not experience and breast cancer symptoms while others will have the entire list of possible signs. When you’re worried about breast cancer, it can help to keep these symptoms in mind, but realize that they might be explained by other conditions as well.
- A lump in the breast
- Discharge from the nipple - bloody or clear
- Dimpling of the breast’s skin
- Size or shape change of the breast
- Flaking or peeling of the nipple skin
- Nipple becomes inverted
- Orange-like texture of breast skin
Again, some women may have some of these signs, while others have all of them, while others have none. This is why it’s important for women to take the time to look at their breasts regularly. In doing so, you will be able to see changes occurring in your breasts, helping you alert your doctor as soon as something doesn’t seem quite right.
When You Have Symptoms
Once you begin to notice breast cancer symptoms, you will want to talk with your doctor about the possible diagnostic tests to complete. Some doctors may take a wait and see approach while others may schedule a breast ultrasound or a breast biopsy if a lump is present. Remember that many breast lumps are benign so having a lump does not mean that you have breast cancer.