12 Signs of Breast Cancer
Did you know that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women? That’s why it’s important to be familiar with the 12 signs of breast cancer.
Breast cancer affects over 55,000 women every year in the United Kingdom alone. While most breast cancer symptoms are easy to identify, others are not so easy to spot. Some of these symptoms can also be caused by other health issues so it’s important to know what the early symptoms of breast cancer are, so that you can seek medical advice and treatment. A large percentage of these are red flags you should never ignore.
We’ve all heard the saying prevention is better than cure. The first and most important step in treating breast cancer is catching it early. In order to identify if you have cancer or not, the symptoms need to be investigated thoroughly.
The 12 Signs of Breast Cancer :
1. Thick Area
2. Dimpling
3. Nipple Crusting
4. Red or Hot
5. New Fluid
6. Skin Sores
One of the symptoms of breast cancer can be a thickening of the breast tissue. If you notice and area of your breast feels less squishy than the rest or you notice a change in the texture of the tissue, get it checked out.
Dimpling and indentations can occur when a bra or a tight piece of clothing leaves a mark on the skin however, if dimpling or indentations do not go away this can be a symptom of breast cancer. This can be caused by a tumour drawing the skin inwards which appears as an indentation or mottling on the surface.
Crusting on the nipple can be a harmless skin condition such as eczema or it can be something more sinister like Paget’s disease. This is when cancer cells spread inside the breast and reside in the nipple causing a scabby crusting that is red or white, peristent and sore to the touch.
Redness and heat often goes hand in hand with inflammation. Inflammation in the breast may have a number of causes such as eczema or a side effect of breast feeding – but one of these causes can be breast cancer, specifically inflammatory breast cancer. This causes redness of the tissue that can even look purplish or bruised and can make the skin feel warm or hot to the touch but without the presence of an obvious, hard lump.
It’s quite common to get discharge from the nipples when the breasts are developing, if there’s an infection, during pregnancy or when breastfeeding and it’s usually harmless however, if you notice any unusual discharge, such as a clear discharge or discharge containing blood, this could be a sign of something more sinister so it’s important to go and get it checked out.
Skin sores that do not heal can be a sign of advanced breast cancer. Sores appearing on the surface of the skin as a result of breast cancer usually means that the disease has been present for some time.
7. Bumps
8. Enlarged Veins
9. Depressed Nipples
10. Changes in shape or size
11. Orange Peel Skin
12. Lumps
Lumps that are closer to the surface of the skin can appear as bumps. Again, somtimes these are completely harmless and sometimes they can be a symtom of breast cancer. If you notice a bump appear on your breast or if you notice a change and you’re unsure, seek a medical opinion.
Enlarged veins are one of the less common symptoms of breast cancer and is often classed as other changes or skin changes. When a symptom of breast cancer, this can be a sign that blood flow is being diverted towards a tumour.
It’s perfectly normal to be born with inverted nipples however, when the nipple sinks, flattens or begins turning in, this can be a sign of a new breast cancer tumour developing underneath.
No one is symmetrical and it’s incredibly common for women to have one breast a different size to the other. Changes in the size, shape and sensitivity of the breasts can also be down to hormonal changes such as mensuration, pregnancy, breast feeding and menopuase however, if there are changes to the shape or size of the breasts that are abnormal, this can be an indicator of breast cancer.
Also known as “Peau D’Orange” this is a symptom caused by swelling of the tissue that casues the hair follicles on the breasts to give an orange peel appearance to the skin. This can be accompanied by a change to the colour of the skin, but not always. Peau d’orange is s sign of inflammatory breast cancer.
Lumps are one of the most recognisable symptoms of breast cancer.
Many women will notice lumps in their breasts but they don’t know if these are anything to worry about. Many of these small lumps can be benign, and some can come and go with menstural cycles but some can indicate cancer. If you notice a hard lump in your breast, check yourself out in the mirror. Look at it. Do you feel it with your hands? If you’re feeling anything unusual at all, don’t wait. Call your doctor right away.
12 Signs of Breast Cancer : KNOW YOUR LEMONS! 🍋
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. In my efforts to find information to share to raise awareness about breast cancer, I found the Know Your Lemons website which is an amazing organisation dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer and teaching people how to recognise the signs of breast cancer and identify symptoms that could indicate something isn’t right.
The information on Know Your Lemons is also available as a handy app which is a period tracker, self exam guide, risk calculator, guide to mammograms and more which can be downloaded below!