The formation of a lump inside the breast is only one of the symptoms of breast cancer and there are several other things that indicate the development of this disease. Many women are unaware of other breast cancer symptoms and fail to report them to the doctor at the right time. For instance, changes in the skin tone around the breast is a warning sign.
On the other hand, you may not experience any signs and symptoms at all and the mammogram can detect a mass inside the breast which may or may not impose any risk. The following signs and symptoms must be noticed and reported to the doctor for the detection of breast cancer.
Noticing the symptoms
It is essential to notice the symptoms of breast cancer early to plan the treatment program. However, you must know what the symptoms are before reporting them to the doctor.
Discharge from nipples:
Discharge from the nipple with varying consistencies and range of colors such as milky white, yellow, red, or green is unusual. For women who breastfeed, a white discharge may be normal, but it is still advisable to report to the doctor for further investigations. Even though discharge from the nipples is non-cancerous in most of the cases, you must not leave anything to chance.
Changes in the skin:
Breast cancer often leads to changes and inflammation in the cells of the skin around the breast. Apart from this, you can also notice a change in the skin texture such as scaly skin around the areola or the nipple may appear dry or sunburned. Besides this, thickening of the skin around the breast is another indication. The changes in the skin can also cause itching indicating a rare kind of breast cancer.
Changes in the lymph node:
The rounded immune system tissue responsible for fluid filtration and capturing the harmful cells such as cancer, bacteria, and viruses can leave the breast. When the cancer cells leave the breast, they usually travel to the lymph node region in the underarms on the side of the breast affected with cancer resulting in swelling in this region. However, you may also notice such swellings on the collar bone. The swollen lumps are soft to touch and indicate that you may have breast cancer.
Dimpling of the skin:
If you are diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, the cancer cells can result in the accumulation of lymph fluid on the breast leading to dimpling skin. If the surface of the skin around the breast appears like the skin of an orange, you must report it to the doctor.
Tenderness and discomfort:
While breast cancer causes changes in the skin cells around the breast, experiencing the feelings of pain, discomfort, and tenderness in the region is another warning sign.
Redness or swelling:
Breast cancer can cause redness and swelling on the entire region surrounding the breast. Amy unexplained change on this region must be reported to the doctor.
Do not panic
You must not panic or feel scared when you notice changes in the breast but try to discuss the symptoms with the healthcare practitioner for proper investigations.
