Breast cancer: signs and symptoms || Health Fettle ||

Breast Cancer

It is a cancer of breast cell. Breast cancer can occur both male and female but it is more common in the female.
                                 In a very early stage,  breast cancer may have no signs or symptoms are. So this is the main reason for the late detection of breast cancer. Although there are some indications available, which can help you to be alert toward this disease.

Breast cancer: signs and symptoms || Health Fettle ||

Some Common Signs and Symptoms Of  Breast Cancer

1. Lumps in Breast

This is one of the earliest sign of breast cancer. If you found a lump (or mass like structure) in your breast, which persist after your periods also, then you should meet your doctor and take a mammogram for more confirmation.
                                                In some cases, there may be breast thickening, that feels different from the surrounding breast tissue, instead of lumps.

2. Skin Changes Of Breast 

You should regularly monitor your breast for any changes in color, appearance, temperature, texture etc. Some changes are

• Redness or pitting of skin of breast like orange skin.
• Any region of skin of breast which looks or feels different from the other areas of the breast.
• Peeling or flaking of the surrounded area of nipple or breast skin.

3. Structural Changes in Breast

Although lumps are often one of the early sign of breast cancer, you should also take a mammogram if you find any structural changes in your breast like-

• change in the shape, size or appearance of the breast (any sudden and noticeable change esp if in one breast i.e. asymmetrical changes). Breast may feel harder, heavier, increase or decrease in size.
• Dimpling.

4. Discharge from Nipple(non-pregnancy discharge)

If you find any clear or bloody discharge through the nipple, be alert it could be a sign of cancer.

5. Changes in Nipples

Nipples are a good indicator of breast cancer. There are some changes occurs in nipples during breast cancer like:

• Inverted nipple (nipple retraction).changes in the appearance of the nipple.
• pain in the nipple.
• thickening of the nipple tissues.

6. Pain or Tenderness

There may be pain or tenderness in/on any part of the breast.

Breast cancer: signs and symptoms || Health Fettle ||

Invasive Breast Cancer

When breast cancer spread to breast tissues from its origin like breast duct or gland, called invasive breast cancer. It can then grow into nearby lymph nodes and the structures.

There are mainly two types of invasive breast cancer

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC)

In this type origin of the cancer cell is from milk duct and invade breast tissue. It is the most common type of invasive breast cancer, forms up to about 80%.

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC)

It forms about 10% of invasive breast cancer. It starts from milk glands or lobules then spread to breast tissues.
Some women have both types of invasive breast cancer or having a very different type.

Signs and Symptoms of Invasive Breast Cancer

• A lump or thickening in the breast or near the breast or in the underarm areas(swelling of lymph nodes) which persist after menses.
• Swelling of the breast (in whole or a part) even without lumps.
• A bloody or clear discharge from the nipple.
• Changes in the shape, size, or texture in the breast.
• Pain in breast or nipple.
• Nipple retraction (inverted nipple). change in shape or position in the nipple.
• Peeling or flaking of a pigmented area (around the nipple) or breast skin.
• Itchiness of the breast or dimpling.
• Changes in the feeling of touch. On touch, breast feels hard, tender, or warm.
• Marble-like harden area under the skin.
• Redness or pitting of skin of breast like orange skin.
• Any region of skin of breast which looks or feels different from the other areas of the breast.
• Skin of breast or nipple looks red, scaly, dimpled, or inflamed.
• Redness of breast's skin or nipple.

By doing regular self-checking of your breast, you become familiar to changes in your breast.

Ductal Carcinoma In situ (DCIS): 

In this type of carcinoma women rarely feels lump or discharge from the nipple. Mostly it does not cause any symptom. Most of the cases this is detected with a mammogram.

Lobular Carcinoma In situ (LCIN):

It is detected when the doctor doing a breast biopsy for other reason, like the investigation of an unrelated breast lump. It not causes symptom and not detected with a mammogram.

Breast cancer: signs and symptoms || Health Fettle ||

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)

It is a very rare and very aggressive type of breast cancer. In which cancer cell block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, making the affected breast red, swollen and tender. It commonly does not cause a lump or mass.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Symptoms

• Red, swollen and tender to touch the breast.
• Skin of breast looks has dimpling or pitted appearance like the skin of the orange.
• Size of the breast is larger than other(due to the causation of inflammation and swelling).
• Inverted nipple.
• Heaviness, Burning or pain in the breast.
• Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm or/and above the collar bone.
• Breast feels warm to touch.
• No lump felt in the breast while self-exam.

Male Breast Cancer Symptoms

Symptoms of the male breast cancer are similar in the appearance of the female breast cancer and these may includes

• Lump on his chest, usually painless.
• Thickening in breast tissue.
• Discharge from the nipple.
• Changes in the skin of breast or nipple, like redness, scaling, dimpling, puckering. 
• Nipple begins to turn inward.

Papillary Carcinoma Symptoms

Papillary carcinoma mostly occurs in older, postmenopausal women. It is found in men also. Mammography can identify papillary carcinoma. It has a well-defined border with small finger-like projections on the surface. In most cases of invasive papillary carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ also present. Some symptoms of papillary carcinoma are-

• Lumps in Breast(can feel during self-exam).
• Nipple discharge.
• Itchy breast.
• Redness or thickening of the skin of the breast.
• Flaking, change in color of the skin of the breast.