Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Learn Sign and symptoms of Breast cancer including breast lump, lower back pain, armpit swelling, pelvic pain and change in breast shape or size. You can also checkout advanced breast cancer symptoms found in stage 4.

Lumps are considered the most important signs of breast cancer. But it is not necessary that lumps appear during the initial phase of breast cancer.Sometimes patients suffering from inflammatory breast cancer may not have lumps to be identified separately.SO,Women should remain vigilant and cautious of other changes that may indicates the presence of malignancy.The following are some of the symptoms of breast cancer that are not known to many women. If you are experiencing any of these signs then you must consult a doctor at your earliest.

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Below are the some of the early signs and symptoms of breast cancer that should be observed:

Red, Sore and Itchy Breasts as Breast Cancer Sign

Commonly reported signs of inflammatory breast cancer are reddening of the skin of the breasts. The skin around the breast becomes red and patient may feel that the skin is becoming scaly, itchy and hot to touch. Soreness is generally felt by the patients too that is accompanied by swelling of the breast and the appearance of purplish spots that resemble the color of bruises.

In some cases of inflammatory breast cancer there is presence of dimpled texture, which is cardinal feature of the breast cancer. In this type of breast cancer, blood vessels around the area of breast are blocked by cancerous cells which are supplying the blood to the skin and tissues of breast.This diminished supply of blood results into the changed color of the skin.

Upper Back Pain as Breast Cancer Sign

Women suffering from breast tumor may feel Upper back pain which is very initial sign of breast cancer. The reason for this upper back pain is that most of the tumors growing inside the breast are present in the glandular tissue which is located deep in the breast near the chest wall.
When this tumor develops into significant size it puts pressure on the chest wall due to this pressure women feel pain between her shoulder blades. In most cases, women fail to recognize this pain as a sign of breast cancer and confuse it with muscular strain.

Changes in Nipples as Breast Cancer Sign

Most common area where breast tumor develops is around nipples. When this tumor grows into significant size it causes
deformities and changes in the appearance nipples. The changes in nipples that are usually associated with tumors are flattening or
inversion of the nipple.

woman might feel that her nipple has shrunk in size and losing their normal appearance. Moreover, in some cases nipples discharge some kind of liquid without squeezing them and if this liquid contains blood then it is clear indication of breast cancer.

Pain, Lump or Swelling in Armpit as Breast Cancer Sign

The lymph nodes present in the armpit are among the first ones to be affected when breast cancer starts to spread in the body. The lymph nodes in the armpit are present very closer to breast area and When these lymph nodes comes in contact with lymphatic drainage they become inflamed and begin to swell.
Then these inflamed lymph nodes turns into lumps and become visible under the armpits.The patient begins to feel intense pain in these lumps which are hard and do not budge when being touched. Thus, the formation of lumps under the armpits is another sign of breast cancer that must not be overlooked.

Change in Breast Shape or Size as Breast Cancer Sign

Breast tumors are responsible for changes in the shape or the size of the breasts. Women who are obese or having thick breast tissue may not feel the presence of the lump growing inside their breasts. These changes are evident when you look at the breasts in a mirror.
You will find that one of your breasts is looking deformed and hanging more loosely than the other one. If you find any such change in the shape of your breasts then it is better to consult a doctor and have a mammogram to confirm the presence of breast cancer.

Advanced Breast Cancer Symptoms in Stage 4

When breast cancer developed completely and reached Stage 4, it causes damage to other vital organs. Below are the advanced breast cancer symptoms that might be observed by the patients: