Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Symptoms associated with Breast Cancer

The most common outward sign of breast cancer is a hard lump in the breast that is usually not movable and may or may not be painful. The skin over the lump may be thickened and dimpled (like the skin of an oranges) or indented in areas where the cancer has spread. The nipple may be inverted (turned inward) or leak dark fluid.

Possible symptoms of breast cancer include:

A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area.

A change in the size or shape of the breast.

Thickening, swelling, distortion, or tenderness of the breast

Skin irritation or dimpling

Nipple pain, scaliness, ulceration, or retraction.

A change in the way the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels (for example, warm, swollen, red, or scaly).

Swelling or lump in armpit.

Breast pain is commonly due to benign conditions and is usually not the first symptom of breast cancer.