What Are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?
Key takeaways:
Breast cancer does not always cause noticeable symptoms, especially in the earlier stages.
When symptoms do occur, they most often start with changes in the look or feel of your breast.
Since it can be hard to detect breast cancer by symptoms alone, regular screening with mammograms is the best way to screen for the disease.
Breast cancer organizations work hard to increase awareness about the disease: The pink ribbon has become an easily recognizable symbol; there are popular marathons devoted to raising money for research; and even professional football players will play in hot pink shoes to support the cause!
One of the reasons that awareness is so important is that breast cancer is very treatable, and early detection translates into higher cure rates. While screening mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages, it is also important for you to be mindful of your breast health. This way, if changes or symptoms develop, you can take the right steps to get them checked out.
Can you have breast cancer and not have symptoms?
Yes. Both women and men can have breast cancer, though it is rare in men. Breast cancer starts with a small number of cancerous cells. It grows by producing more cells through repeated cell divisions, and it takes many rounds of cell divisions to reach a detectable size, which is called a tumor. The time it takes for the cell divisions to go from a few to a detectable tumor varies based upon the type of breast cancer.
Most people do not have symptoms in the early phase of breast cancer. A study from Switzerland showed that the average size of breast cancer detected by self-exam was just over three-quarters of an inch. The good news is that breast imaging, like a mammogram, can often find tumors that are smaller than that. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mammograms can detect cancers up to 3 years before they can be felt on a self-exam. Therefore, the best way to screen for breast cancer is with an imaging study.
What symptoms should you have checked out?
It is very important for you to be familiar with your body and your breasts. This way you will be more likely to notice when something does not seem normal.
You may just be glancing at your body in the mirror and notice an irregularity in your breast. Or you may be showering and feel something like a lump or area of thicker tissue. Regular breast self-exams can also help you spot a change. When you notice something that looks or feels abnormal, don’t be afraid or embarrassed to get it checked by a healthcare provider.
While breast cancer does not always have noticeable symptoms, some of the early signs that a tumor is developing are:
A dimpling or puckering in the skin of the breast
A pitting in the skin or a change in texture, resembling an orange peel
A color change in the skin, like a red- or purple-colored rash
An area of warmth or swelling
An abnormal nipple discharge
A crusting, scaling, itching, or redness around the nipple
A nipple that appear to be turning inwards
A change in the size or shape of the breast
In addition, what you might feel includes:
A thickening, knot, lump, or nodule in your breast or under your arms
Enlarged or swollen glands in your armpits or around your collarbone
A swelling or heaviness in the breast
Pain in the breast or in a nipple
It’s important to know that there are many possible causes of the symptoms listed above, like a benign cyst or an infection, and most of those are more common than cancer. But it is always best to see your healthcare provider to help you figure out the actual cause of your symptoms.
Where does breast cancer spread?
When breast cancer spreads beyond the breast, it typically first travels to nearby lymph nodes or glands. These are located in the armpits, chest, and around the collarbone.
Someone with breast cancer may feel a swollen lymph node under the arm even before they notice a change or lump in the breast itself. This does not always mean there is cancer. Lymph nodes can swell for a number of reasons, with swelling often being a symptom of an infection. But similar to any abnormal symptoms in the breast, it’s best to be safe and get it checked out.
What are some later symptoms of breast cancer?
In the more advanced stages of breast cancer, cancer cells can spread or metastasize to other areas of the body. The most common organs affected by metastasis are your bones, lungs, brain, and liver. If cancer occurs in these parts of the body, symptoms may include:
Bones: Pain, which is often worse at night, or bones that break very easily
Lungs: Shortness of breath, a cough that doesn’t go away, or persistent pain in the lungs, particularly when you take a deep breath
Brain: Severe headaches, seizures, permanent blind spots or loss of vision, confusion or changes in behavior, and stroke-like symptoms, such as facial droop, difficulty speaking, weakness, or numbness on one half of the body
Liver: A yellow appearance of the skin or eyes (also called jaundice), abdominal pain (particularly on the right side), nausea, and vomiting
Metastatic tumors don’t always cause specific or easily recognized symptoms, like pain or headaches. Some people experience just a general feeling of unwellness, including severe fatigue, loss of appetite, and significant weight loss, to name a few. Of course, there are many possible reasons someone might experience these feelings, with or without cancer. As with all the other symptoms discussed here, the first step is to discuss your questions and concerns with your healthcare provider.
The bottom line
Breast cancer is one of the more common types of cancer in the U.S., but it is typically not discovered based on symptoms alone. This is because it rarely causes symptoms in its early stages, which is why a routine mammography is invaluable.
So if you notice something abnormal in your breasts, know that there are many causes for lumps and bumps that are more common than cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider, who can not only order the right testing to take a closer look but can also provide reassurance and support so that you don’t needlessly worry.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Cancer Society. (2021). Lymph nodes and cancer.
American Cancer Society. (2021). What is breast cancer?
Breastcancer.org. (2022). Breast self-exam (BSE).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). What is a mammogram?
Güth, U., et al. (2008). Tumor size and detection in breast cancer: Self-examination and clinical breast examination are at their limit. Cancer Detection and Prevention.
National Cancer Institute. (2020). Metastatic cancer: When cancer spreads.
Susan G. Komen. (2022). Types of tumors.
