Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer, the most common cancer in women, occurs as a result of uncontrolled cancerous growth which begins in the tissues of the breast. According to the statistics, breast cancer affects one in eight women in the U.S. and it is the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Breast cancer awareness rubber bracelets are distributed and several other programs are run all over the world with the help of various health organizations. They provide information on early symptoms of breast cancer and how the cancer is treated. Detection of breast cancer in earlier stages can improve the survival rates.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

• Swelling and a feeling of warmth in the breast.
• Tenderness around the nipple.
• A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area (axillary area).
• A breast lump which is non-tender.
• A remarkable change in the size or shape of the breast
• Dimpling or puckering in the skin of the breast
• New pain that develops in one spot.
• An inward turned nipple.
• Discharge (fluid) from the nipple, especially bloody discharge.
• Breast ulcer as a later symptom of breast cancer.
• A lump found in the area above the collarbone (supraclavicular area) which indicates that the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
• Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola (the dark area of skin around the nipple). The ridged skin may look like the skin of an orange.

Although breast cancer in women is quite common, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men.

Types of Breast Cancer

There are different types of breast cancer such as ductal carcinoma (most common form), lobular carcinoma, invasive or infiltrating breast cancer which spreads out of the original tumor site and invades other parts of breast and body. The uncommon types of this cancer include inflammatory breast cancer that occurs in the skin and Paget's disease of the nipple. Different types of symptoms are noticed in different types of breast cancer. For instance, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a comparatively rare and aggressive cancer, can cause the breast to appear red and swollen, giving the appearance of inflammation. IBC symptoms also include constant itching in breast skin, warmer, harder, firmer breast, sudden increase in breast size, inwardly turned nipples, swollen lymph nodes under arm or above collarbone, etc. It is noticed that IBC usually strikes younger women and diagnoses of IBC account for one to five percent of all cases of breast cancer in the U.S.

If you have breast pain, you should consult your doctor immediately. Even though you don't experience breast pain or lump, you can have a regular mammogram and a clinical breast exam by your health care professional since early stages of breast cancer may not cause any pain or discomfort. A mammogram can help you understand changes in your breasts. Doing self-exam of breast can help you monitor the changes. If you have already undergone treatment for this cancer, it is equally important and necessary to report any new signs and symptoms immediately. As breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between 45-55 years of age, it is necessary to take all precautionary measures.

Studies show that genetic and/or hormonal factors are the primary risk factors for this cancer. Breast cancer treatment varies according to the type of the cancer and the extent to which it has spread. It involves various options such as surgery (removal of the cancer tumor alone or in some cases mastectomy, removal of breast), radiation therapy, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and/or chemotherapy. Just keep it in mind that the treatment for breast cancer varies from one individual to another.

Now that you know early symptoms of breast cancer, I hope, you would not neglect any changes in your breast(s). There is a need for more awareness, it would help save several lives, because if breast cancer is discovered early, new vistas of treatment can be made available to the victims of the disease.