Breast Cancer Indicators and Symptoms

Understanding the usual appearance and feel of your breasts plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal breast health.

While routine breast cancer screenings, such as mammograms, are essential, they are not infallible and may not detect every case of breast cancer. This underscores the importance of being familiar with the normal look and feel of your breasts so that you can recognize any unusual changes and identify potential signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

The most prevalent symptom of breast cancer is the emergence of a new lump or mass, though it’s worth noting that most breast lumps are not cancerous. A painless, firm mass with irregular edges is more likely to be malignant, but breast cancer can also present as soft, round, tender, or even painful lumps.

Additional possible symptoms of breast cancer include:

- Swelling of all or part of a breast, even if no lump is felt.

- Skin dimpling, which can sometimes resemble the texture of an orange peel.

- Pain in the breast or nipple.

- Nipple retraction, where the nipple turns inward.

- Red, dry, flaking, or thickened skin on the nipple or breast.

- Unusual nipple discharge that is not breast milk.

- Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or near the collarbone, which can sometimes indicate breast cancer spread before the original tumor in the breast is large enough to be felt.

Many of these symptoms can also result from benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions. Nonetheless, it is vital to have any new breast mass, lump, or other changes evaluated by a knowledgeable health care professional to determine the cause and administer treatment

if necessary.

Bear in mind that being aware of these signs does not replace the need for regular breast cancer screenings. Screening mammography can often detect breast cancer at an early stage, before any symptoms manifest, providing a greater chance for successful treatment. Early detection is key to improving outcomes and enhancing the likelihood of successful intervention.



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6982 Worthington Road

Westerville, OH 43082

Since 2008

614.891.2000

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