Signs and Symptoms Of Breast Cancer

The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that
feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. More than 80% of
breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump. The
earliest breast cancers are detected by a mammogram. Lumps found in
lymph nodes located in the armpits can also indicate breast cancer.
Indications of breast cancer other than a lump may include thickening
different from the other breast tissue, one breast becoming larger or
lower, a nipple changing position or shape or becoming inverted, skin
puckering or dimpling, a rash on or around a nipple, discharge from
nipple/s, constant pain in part of the breast or armpit, and swelling
beneath the armpit or around the collarbone. Pain ("mastodynia") is
an unreliable tool in determining the presence or absence of breast

cancer, but may be indicative of other breast health issues.
Inflammatory breast cancer is a particular type of breast cancer which
can pose a substantial diagnostic challenge. Symptoms may resemble a
breast inflammation and may include itching, pain, swelling, nipple
inversion, warmth and redness throughout the breast, as well as an
orange-peel texture to the skin referred to as peau d'orange; the
absence of a discernible lump delays detection dangerously.
Another reported symptom complex of breast cancer is Paget's disease of
the breast. This syndrome presents as eczematoid skin changes such as
redness and mild flaking of the nipple skin. As Paget's advances,
symptoms may include tingling, itching, increased sensitivity, burning,
and pain. There may also be discharge from the nipple. Approximately
half of women diagnosed with Paget's also have a lump in the
breast.
In rare cases, what initially appears as a fibroadenoma (hard movable
lump) could in fact be a phyllodes tumor. Phyllodes tumors are formed
within the stroma (connective tissue) of the breast and contain
glandular as well as stromal tissue. Phyllodes tumors are not staged in
the usual sense; they are classified on the basis of their appearance
under the microscope as benign, borderline, or malignant.
Occasionally, breast cancer presents as metastatic disease, that is,
cancer that has spread beyond the original organ. Metastatic breast
cancer will cause symptoms that depend on the location of metastasis.
Common sites of metastasis include bone, liver, lung and brain.
Unexplained weight loss can occasionally herald an occult breast
cancer, as can symptoms of fevers or chills. Bone or joint pains can
sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer, as can
jaundice or neurological symptoms. These symptoms are called
non-specific, meaning they could be manifestations of many other
illnesses.
Most symptoms of breast disorders, including most lumps, do not turn
out to represent underlying breast cancer. Less than 20% of lumps for
example are cancer and benign breast diseases such as mastitis and
fibroadenoma of the breast are more common causes of breast disorder
symptoms. Nevertheless, the appearance of a new symptom should be taken
seriously by both patients and their doctors, because of the

possibility of an underlying breast cancer at almost any age