Although breast cancer generally shows no symptoms in the early stage, timely detection can turn a story of breast cancer
into a survivor’s tale.A breast lump is the most common presenting symptom. But for about 1 in 6 Trusted Source women with
breast cancer, the broad spectrum of symptoms doesn’t include a lump.
Any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer:
- swelling of all or part of the breast
- skin irritation or dimpling
- breast pain
- nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
- redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
- a nipple discharge other than breast milk
- a lump in the underarm area
These changes also can be signs of less serious conditions, such as an infection or a cyst.Although breast cancer symptoms vary widely, many breast cancers have no obvious symptoms at all.In some cases, a lump may
be too small for you to feel or to cause any unusual changes you can notice on your own. Often, an abnormal area turns up
on a screening mammogram (X-ray of the breast), which leads to additional testing.
In other cases, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A
lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft,
and rounded.