5 Symptoms of Breast Cancer

In this article, I will discuss many symptoms of breast cancer with you. According to the type of breast cancer you have, you may experience different symptoms. There is no doubt that many breast cancer patients have lumps, but not everyone does. Therefore, you should be aware of the other symptoms as well. 

Some warning signs are produced by the body in general. Breast lumps, which can occur anywhere along the chest wall or under the armpit, are the most common. In addition to the pain and bleeding on your nipple, you may experience nipple discharge and bleeding. There may be redness or swelling in any area of your breast, and your breast may appear flatter or caved in.

1. Early symptoms of Breast Cancer

Even if you don’t feel a lump in your breast, breast cancer usually starts as a painless lump. The majority of lumps are detected by routine screening mammograms. Often, women do not display any obvious signs of breast cancer when they are diagnosed. A small breast cancer tumor is rarely visible to the naked eye or to the touch when it is in its early stages. It is for this reason that mammograms are so important.

Individuals with breast tumors experience different symptoms. The following are some early warning signs of breast cancer:

• An increase in swelling, redness, or other visible breast changes
• Changes in the shape or size of the breasts
• Nipple changes or nipple enlargement
• Discharge other than breast milk from the breasts
• A general sense of pain in/on the breasts
• Nodes or lumps felt inside or on the breast

2. Early symptoms of invasive breast cancer

You should keep in mind that these changes may be caused by other benign conditions. Invasive breast cancer is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Having itchy or irritated breasts
• Changing the color of the breasts
• An increase in breast size or shape within a short period of time
• The feeling of touch may change (it may feel hard, tender, or warm)
• The skin on the nipple peels or flakes
• Breast lumps or thickening
• Breast skin that is red or pitted (like orange skin)

3. Non-invasive breast cancer symptoms

Breast cancer that is non-invasive is sometimes referred to as stage 0 cancer. Breast cancer at this stage is usually very small, since it is in its early stages. A non-invasive breast cancer usually has a tumor that’s so small that it can only be detected by a mammogram, so it is unlikely to cause any noticeable physical symptoms apart from an abnormal lump in the breast. 

4. Invasive breast cancer symptoms

Breast cancer often starts in the ducts, or tubes, which carry milk to the nipple, or in the lobules, which are tiny clusters of sacs that produce breast milk. Breast cancer that spreads to other parts of the breast, lymph nodes, or somewhere else in the body is referred to as invasive breast cancer. The cancer spreads from the ducts or lobules in these cancers originating in the ducts or lobules, invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinomas (ILC). There may be symptoms depending on where the disease is in its development.

Symptoms of invasive breast cancer include:

• Breast lumps or masses
• Swelling of the breasts, even if no lumps are felt
• Dimpling or irritation of the skin
• Pain in the breasts or nipples
• Retraction of the nipples (inward turning)
• A reddened, scaly, or thickened nipple or breast
• Discharge of the nipples
• Lymph nodes under the arm that are swollen or lumpy

5. Inflammatory symptoms of breast cancer

A mammogram may not detect inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) because it rarely causes breast lumps. The following symptoms are associated with inflammatory breast cancer:

• Breasts that are tender to the touch, swollen, itchy, and red
• In some cases, the breast surface may appear pitted or ridged, like an orange peel
• An aching, heavy, or burning feeling in one breast
• There is a visible difference between the two breasts
• Nipple facing inward (inverted)
• Breast self-examination does not reveal any masses 
• Underarm and/or collarbone lymph nodes that are swollen
• Antibiotic treatment unsuccessful in resolving symptoms