Cancer Information Tips :: Breast Cancer Signs
Breast Cancer Signs: Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime and early detection is critical for her survival – which is why it's critical that all women be aware of possible breast cancer signs and symptoms.
To learn about known breast cancer signs and symptoms and how to detect them in your own body, keep reading
Lump
Most instances of breast cancer are diagnosed after the patient finds a lump in her breast. This is the most common method of detecting breast cancer and the clearest sign or symptom of the disease.
Whether during a routine self breast examination or simply by accident, a woman will notice or feel a bump that feels significantly different than the surrounding breast tissue. To learn how to do a self breast examination, try the Breast Self Exam (BSE) tutorial on the Komen website at http://komen.org/bse.
Change in Breast Size, Shape or Texture
Another common symptom or sign is a distinct change in the breast's shape, size or texture. Many women experience a dimpling of the skin with an almost orange peel effect around and under the nipple.
Skin Irritation or Swelling
Women diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) typically experience redness, swelling, heat and pain throughout the breast and nipple. The symptom basically resembles a skin inflammation, like an allergic reaction to a product or fabric.
Paget's
One complex symptom of breast cancer is Paget's disease – this is a general inflammation of the breast skin. Essentially, the skin around the nipple becomes dry, flaky, red and itchy – resembling eczema in many cases.
Weight Loss
Not all breast cancer patients experience a decreased appetite and subsequent weight loss, but many do. Cancer is a disease that can often affect the entire body, even if it's localized. Often, patients diets are adversely affected.
Depression and Anxiety
Though not as thoroughly documented as other physical symptoms, many breast cancer patients report experiencing higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression even before they were diagnosed. While most doctors won't make a diagnosis on this alone, it can be a helpful indicator.
Family History
If you have a family history of women diagnosed with breast cancer, then it's critical that you let your doctor know and commit to annual mammograms.
Diagnosing Symptoms
If you suspect that you may have breast cancer, it's important to make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the higher a patient's survival and success rate.
The American Cancer Society recommends conducting a monthly self breast exam (see link above for directions on how-to) to detect breast cancer signs like a lump or skin changes and an annual mammogram.
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CancerInfoTips.com :: Breast Cancer Signs