What are the first physical signs of breast cancer?

How does your body feel when you have breast cancer?

The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass (although most breast lumps are not cancer). A painless, hard mass that has irregular edges is more likely to be cancer, but breast cancers can be also soft, round, tender, or even painful.

What does the first stage of breast cancer look like?

The most common symptoms of early-stage breast cancer are new lumps, changes to skin texture or color, dimpling, and swelling. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) , the most common sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast.

Does Stage 1 breast cancer have symptoms?

Breast cancer symptoms at stage 1 may include: Nipple discharge. Dimpling of the skin. Swelling or redness of the breast.

What are the hidden signs of breast cancer?

Early Signs of Breast Cancer

What is the red flag for breast cancer?

Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast. Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area. Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood. Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.

What is the first red flag for breast cancer?

Warm, red, irritated and/or itchy breasts: These conditions are among the most common early warning signs of inflammatory breast cancer. Nipple discharge: With the exception of breast milk, which may leak from breasts during or after pregnancy, any nipple discharge should be checked by a doctor.

Can you have Stage 4 breast cancer and not know it?

The symptoms of metastatic breast cancer may be different than those of early-stage breast cancer, but not always. Sometimes, there are no symptoms at all.

What part of breast are most cancers found?

Breast cancer most often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts (invasive ductal carcinoma). Breast cancer may also begin in the glandular tissue called lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma) or in other cells or tissue within the breast.

What is the most common area for breast cancer?

Lobules are the glands that make breast milk. Cancers that start here are called lobular cancers. Ducts are small canals that come out from the lobules and carry the milk to the nipple. This is the most common place for breast cancer to start.

What age does breast cancer usually show up?

Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older. Some women will get breast cancer even without any other risk factors that they know of. Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease, and not all risk factors have the same effect.

What age does breast cancer usually start?

Breast cancer mainly occurs in middle-aged and older women. The median age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis is 62. This means half of the women who developed breast cancer are 62 years of age or younger when they are diagnosed. A very small number of women diagnosed with breast cancer are younger than 45.

Will breast cancer show up in routine blood work?

Blood tests are not used to diagnose breast cancer, but they can help to get a sense of a person's overall health. For example, they can be used to help determine if a person is healthy enough to have surgery or certain types of chemotherapy.

What is one of the most common symptoms associated with breast cancer?

What does breast cancer fatigue feel like?

A number of side effects are also linked to fatigue, including pain, nausea, low red blood cell counts (anemia), low white blood cell counts, diarrhea, dehydration, trouble sleeping, and vomiting. Your emotional health. People diagnosed with breast cancer often report feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed.

Are most breast cancers on the left?

Is breast cancer more common in the left or right breast? Breast cancer occurs more frequently in the left breast than the right. The left breast is 5%-10% more likely to develop cancer than the right breast.

What is the position of breast tumor?

Tumor location in the breast varies, with the highest frequency in the upper outer quadrant and lowest frequency in the lower inner quadrant.

Where is the first place breast cancer usually spreads?

It most often spreads to the bones, liver, lungs, and brain. Even after cancer spreads, it is still named for the area where it began. This is called the “primary site” or “primary tumor.” For example, if breast cancer spreads to the lungs, doctors call it metastatic breast cancer, not lung cancer.

How quickly does breast cancer spread?

On average, breast cancers double in size every 180 days, or about every 6 months. Still, the rate of growth for any specific cancer will depend on many factors.

Can you live with breast cancer for years without knowing?

Some cancers can form and grow undetected for 10 years or more, as one study found, making diagnosis and treatment that much more difficult. Many women diagnosed with breast cancer never have any signs or symptoms, and their cancer is found during a mammogram.

What are the 3 markers for breast cancer?

In breast cancer care, three tumor markers -- cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), cancer antigen 27.29 (CA 27.29), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) -- have been used to help monitor metastatic breast cancer (advanced disease), but they have not been found to be useful to find a breast cancer recurrence or lengthen lives ...

What happens at Stage 1 breast cancer?

Stage 1 breast cancer means that the cancer is small and only in the breast tissue or it might be found in lymph nodes close to the breast. It is an early stage breast cancer. Staging for breast cancer is very complex.

What does Stage 3 breast cancer look like?

Symptoms with stage 3 breast cancer may include: Changes to the skin of the breast, including dimpling, redness or other color changes, scaliness or open sores. A lump or swelling in the breast or armpit.