Breast Cancer: A Lump Is Not the Only Symptom, Other Frequent Signs

We know: a lump in the breast can be suggestive of cancer. Although this is the most common symptom, it is not the only sign requiring medical consultation. We take stock of the events that should prompt you to make an appointment with your doctor.

Breast cancer: what are the symptoms that should lead to the consultation?

The objective of self-examination is to "know your body well and sometimes to detect breast cancer early and to be able to take good care of it" creator of the Instagram account of the same name and author of the happy and uninhibited gynecological guide! (First ed.). Changes identified during this examination, but also outside, can thus alert.

• The appearance of a mass

" A ball or mass in a breast is the most commonly observed sign of breast cancer", indicates the National Cancer Institute (Inca) on its site. This mass can also have other origins, such as a cyst, but requires a consultation with the doctor. And while it's the most common symptom of breast cancer, it's not the only one.

• A change in the appearance of the skin

Changes in the texture or appearance of the epidermis, such as redness, an orange peel appearance, or peeling skin, also require a consultation, as indicated. The Inca also alerts to the appearance of edema, in other words swelling in the breast as well as significant heat in the breast. Another finding that should hold your attention: "If you see that in one place, it retracts, that when you move, the skin is drawn inwards, it can also be a sign of an underlying tumor and it will be necessary to go to consult”, specifies.

• The appearance of lymph nodes in the armpit

The Inca also indicates that the appearance of hard masses in the armpit "sometimes mean that breast cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes".

• A change in the appearance of the nipple

The appearance of the nipple and areola should also be monitored. A nipple that becomes inverted, in other words, that retracts, a change in color, a flow of blood, or oozing should attract attention. These last two observations can be made by lightly pressing the nipple, especially during self-examination.

• A change in the size and shape of the breast

If the breast changes during life, a change in the shape or size of the breast also requires a consultation with the doctor.

Pain, nausea... Later symptoms that may appear

It is to better identify all these manifestations that self-examination is recommended. "The more we are used to examining them ourselves, the more we will be able to react quickly the day when there is something unusual that arises".

When breast cancer is not detected at the first signs, other symptoms may appear over time. The Inca lists among them:

• bone pain;
• nausea ;
• loss of appetite;
• weight loss;
• jaundice;
• shortness of breath;
• a cough ;
• a pleural effusion, which is an abnormal buildup of fluid between the lungs
• headaches ;
• double vision;
• muscle weakness.