The signs of breast cancer you need to know

Do you know the signs of breast cancer you should be looking for? Staying up to date on how your breasts look and feel can help you find breast cancer in an early stage.

Finding breast cancer early, before it has spread beyond the breast tissue, makes the condition more treatable—and survivable. The five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer found in this localized stage is 99%.

Detecting breast cancer, though, requires you to be proactive: get recommended breast cancer screenings and watch for signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Think you’re only looking for breast lumps? Read on as we share some other signs of breast cancer.

What’s normal vs. what’s not

To notice common symptoms of breast cancer, you first need to know your body. Checking your breasts’ appearance and feel at regular intervals can help you learn what’s normal for your body and what’s not.

If you haven’t gone through menopause, be sure to examine your breasts at various times of the month since they may look and feel different during your period or other phases of the menstrual cycle.

After you have a good understanding of what’s normal for your breasts, you can begin checking them regularly to spot any changes in their size, shape and texture. Doing so can help you detect signs of breast cancer.

Common symptoms of breast cancer

What should you be looking for? Pay attention to your body and let your women’s health provider know if you experience these signs:

• Inversion or retraction of the nipple
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk
• Pain in the breast or nipple
• Red, dry or flaky skin around the nipple or on the breast (most common in Paget’s disease of the breast)
• Skin dimpling that resembles an orange peel
• Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or near the collarbone
• Thickening or swelling in part of or the entire breast

You know that breast lumps can be a sign of breast cancer, but did you know that lumps in your armpit can also be a red flag? Underarm lumps can be inflamed lymph nodes, which are sometimes associated with cancer.

If you notice any of these symptoms, let your provider know, but don’t let yourself worry too much. In many cases, noncancerous breast conditions can cause the symptoms outlined above. Still, it’s always best to have any changes checked out by a medical provider.

Know your risk

Every woman should help monitor her breast health, but that’s especially true for women with an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk factors for breast cancer include:

• Being overweight or obese
• Being physically inactive
• Drinking alcohol excessively
• Having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer
• Having a personal history of breast cancer
• Having dense breasts
• Having genetic mutations, including those to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
• Starting menstruation before age 12 or menopause after age 55
• Undergoing radiation therapy to the chest or breasts

If you have any risk factors for the disease, talk with your provider about ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer. Regardless of your risk, do what you can to protect your breasts.

Look out for any breast changes that could be a sign of cancer. Remember, though, that not all types of breast cancer cause noticeable symptoms. While inflammatory breast cancer often causes changes that draw attention, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and some other cancers do not.

Staying up to date with checkups and breast cancer screenings can help detect breast cancer when the eye can’t see it.

Can’t squeeze in a mammogram on a weekday? We offer Saturday appointments at the Women’s Imaging and Breast Care Center twice a month. Call 504.503.4164 to schedule an appointment.