Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer symptoms may vary from patient to patient. However, some of the first symptoms of breast cancer include a new, painless lump, swelling or change in the appearance of the breasts, and changes in the texture of the skin of the nipples.
Some signs and symptoms of breast cancer may vary depending on the patient's age, location of the cancerous tumor, and the type of cancer.
An early diagnosis is a critical factor in increasing the survival rates of cancer. However, having these signs does not mean the patient suffers from breast carcinoma. For a definitive diagnosis of breast cancer, doctors will recommend additional tests, such as imaging scans and a biopsy.
Who is Mainly Affected by Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is primarily seen in women. However, it can be rarely seen in men as well.
Middle-aged women who are above the age of 50 are found to have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Various factors, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, family history, obesity, hormone replacement therapy, etc., can increase one’s breast cancer risk.
Most Common Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
The most common breast tumor symptoms include a lump or mass located in the breasts or armpits, changes in the shape and appearance of the breast, discharge from the nipple, even blood, and pain in any part of the breast.
A lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
A painless or painful lump in the breast or underarm is one of the early symptoms of breast cancer. Though not every lump is cancerous, it is always advisable to get new lumps that do not go away checked.
Change in size, shape, or appearance of the breast
If the patient witnesses any kind of change in the appearance of the breast, for example, an increase in the size of the breast, it may be one of the early signs of breast cancer. Also, a change in the shape of the breast over a short period of time can be a symptom of breast carcinoma.
Changes in breast skin
Skin changes, such as the sudden appearance of rashes, redness, or dimpling of the breast skin, are some more first signs of breast cancer.
A newly inverted nipple
If any of the nipples become inverted suddenly, it is advisable to get them checked, as it can be one of the breast tumor symptoms.
Redness or pitting of breast skin
Redness in the breasts or pitting of the breast skin is also counted among the breast cancer symptoms. This can also be a sign of a more serious kind of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer.
Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
Other common breast tumor symptoms include irritation in the skin of the breast and a dimpling effect on the skin.
Nipple discharge, including blood
An unusual discharge from the nipples, including blood, can also be one of the early symptoms of breast cancer. Patients with breast cancer also feel a new lump on their breast.
Pain in any area of the breast
Though pain in the breast is often related to menstrual cycles among women, some types of breast cancer also cause discomfort or pain.
Breast Cancer Types & Symptoms
Since there are different types of breast carcinomas, some of them share symptoms, while others display unique signs. Here are the different breast cancer types and the symptoms associated with them:
Symptoms of Ductal Carcinoma
Ductal carcinoma usually does not show any symptoms. However, some patients with this breast cancer type present with some of the first signs of breast cancer, such as a breast lump, a red-colored rash on the nipple, and discharge from the nipple.
Symptoms of Lobular Carcinoma
The common lobular carcinoma symptoms include a change in the size and shape of the breast, changes in the nipple, such as getting inverted, the formation of lumps in the armpit or inside the breast, dimpling, or a dent in the breast skin.
In addition, the metastatic lobular carcinoma symptoms include weight loss without effort, shortness of breath, persistent bone pain, headaches, and dizziness.
Symptoms of Invasive Breast cancer
The invasive breast cancer symptoms may be absent during the early stages, but as time passes, patients start experiencing symptoms like abnormal nipple discharges, a change in the appearance of the skin of the nipple or the breast, redness of the skin, changes in the shape of the nipple's position, and the presence of a mass or lump in the breast.
These signs are similar to stage 1 breast cancer symptoms, and should not be ignored.
Symptoms of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancer symptoms, or last stage of breast cancer symptoms, are seen when the disease has spread to other organs in the body. The symptoms of metastatic breast cancer differ as per the location of the tumor's spread. Some of the symptoms include changes in vision, fatigue, pain in the bones, and pain in the neck or back.
Symptoms of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
The symptoms of triple-negative breast cancer are similar to some of the common and first signs of breast cancer. These include nipple retraction, discharge from the nipples, a new breast cancer lump, dimpling of the breast skin, and swollen lymph nodes in case the tumor has spread to the lymph nodes in the arm.
Symptoms of Paget's Disease of the Breast
Since Paget's disease of the breast starts from the nipple and then spreads to the areola, the dark-colored skin around the nipple, its symptoms include flaky skin of the nipple, redness of the nipples, an inverted nipple, discharge from the nipple, and hardened or crusty skin on the nipple.
Symptoms of Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)
The symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include discoloration of the skin or a rash that spreads to one-third of the breast, pain, itching, swelling in one of the breasts, inverted or retracted nipples, and dimpling of the skin of the breast.
Symptoms of papillary Carcinoma
Papillary carcinoma is a rare type that presents with breast cancer symptoms similar to those of other breast cancer types. These include an inverted nipple, pain in the breast, discharge from the nipple, and changes in the size and shape of the breast.
Symptoms of Angiosarcoma
The primary symptoms of angiosarcoma include swelling in the breasts, an increase in the size of the breast, a feeling of fullness in the breast, rashes or bruises on the skin, and the growth of purple-colored nodules in the skin.
Causes of Breast Cancer
The question of what is the reason for breast cancer can have many answers, as various aspects can affect an individual’s chances of getting diagnosed with it.
Age
Increasing age is one of the prominent risk factors for breast carcinoma, as most of the said cancers affect women who are over the age of 50. Also, men who are over the age of 60 are more affected by breast carcinoma.
Gender
Breast cancer is more commonly found among women than men, as women have more breast cells.
Family History and Genetics
One of the common reasons for breast cancer is having a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer. Having mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can be one of the possible causes of breast cancer.
Also, having mutations in the genes of TP53 and CHEK2 increases the chances of getting breast cancer. Individuals often inherit these mutations from their parents.
Smoking
Tobacco and alcohol consumption have also been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Alcohal Use
Excess alcohol usage is also counted among the major causes of breast cancer.
Obesity
Obesity is also one of the main reasons for breast cancer, and it is found to increase the risk of recurrence as well.
Radiation Exposure
Radiation exposure to the regions of the head, chest, and neck can also be a major cause of breast cancer.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
People who have undergone hormone replacement therapy also have a higher risk of developing breast carcinoma.
When to See an Oncologist?
As soon as you witness any of the early signs of breast cancer, it is advisable to go to your physician, who will further recommend you visit an oncologist. The oncologist would then perform some further tests to confirm the presence of cancerous cells.
Conclusion
One of the major causes of breast cancer almost everyone ignores is increasing age. Thus, it is often advisable to go for regular checkups once a female reaches the age of 50 and men are over 60. Also, as soon as one starts getting early signs of breast cancer, it is important to see a doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stage 1 breast cancer symptoms are not very noticeable in some patients. Usually, the symptoms seen at this stage include changes in the shape and size of the breast, discharge from the nipple, redness of the breast skin, or a lump on the breast.
Women must opt for monthly self-breast examinations, which help catch breast cancer in its early stages. Some of the signs and symptoms that women need to look for include the presence of a lump in the breasts or armpits, a change in the breast size, changes in the appearance and texture of the breast skin, and abnormal discharge from the nipples.
The speed at which breast cancer symptoms start appearing varies from one patient to another. Some patients show early symptoms, while others do not show any symptoms at all. These symptoms become more apparent as the disease progresses. If the disease is progressing faster, the symptoms will also appear quickly.
Therefore, it is important to opt for regular screening in the form of a self-breast examination and annual mammography. This helps catch breast cancer even before it starts showing symptoms.
Stress may not be a direct cause of breast cancer; however, it could be a contributing factor, according to a few studies. These studies have reported that women who experience chronic stress have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. That said, more research is needed to confirm this link.
Among younger individuals, breast cancer is caused by genetic mutations and a positive family history of breast cancer. However, the disease is quite prevalent among women who have undergone menopause and are middle-aged.
Breast cancer is extremely rare in teenagers; however, it is possible. Certain genetic conditions, a positive family history of breast cancer, obesity, etc., may act as risk factors for breast cancer in teenagers.
We do not have sufficient evidence to explain why breast cancer is more common than other types of cancer.
The fact that the risk factors for breast cancer are too generic may also play a role in making breast cancer a more common cancer than other cancer types. Increasing age, being female, having a family history, consuming tobacco and alcohol, and being overweight are the few risk factors for breast cancer patients.
Though we do not know the exact cause of breast cancer, it is understood that certain factors can increase the risk. Tobacco and alcohol consumption, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, a positive family history of breast cancer, increasing age, etc. are the important factors that contribute to the increasing breast cancer risk.
Yes, both first-hand and second-hand smoking are considered risk factors for breast cancer. The harmful chemicals present in tobacco have been observed to cause DNA mutations that could potentially cause breast cancer.
Quitting tobacco and developing a healthier lifestyle could gradually reduce one’s breast cancer risk.
When breast cancer progresses to stage 3, the tumor size is usually more than 5 centimeters, and the disease has spread to the nearby lymph nodes and muscles. Stage-3 breast cancer symptoms may vary from patient to patient.
Generally, the symptoms are similar to those seen in the previous stages, which include the presence of a lump, changes in appearance of the breasts, nipple discharge, pain, soreness, and redness, etc.; the only difference is that they are more pronounced in this stage.
Along with these symptoms, patients may also experience extreme fatigue, unintended weight loss, and bone pain.
The early symptoms of breast cancer in females include nipple discharge, the appearance of new lumps in the armpit, and a change in the shape and size of the breasts. These signs of breast cancer in women should not be ignored. They have to be promptly checked by an oncologist.
