What is the stage of cancer if there is clear water discharge from the nipple?

There are many types of breast diseases among female friends, but many symptoms will appear before many diseases occur, such as nipple discharge. So, is nipple discharge cancer? How many episodes of nipple discharge is cancer? Let's have a simple understanding and understanding of this issue. I hope the following points will be helpful to everyone!

Nipple cold water discharge is cancer

Nipple discharge is mainly divided into three categories. The first is nipple discharge during non-breastfeeding period; the second is colored plate nipple discharge; the third is physiological nipple discharge. And physiological nipple fluid is mainly divided into watery, yellowish serous and thick or serous-tough nipple discharge. Of this type of nipple discharge, 40% to 70% is caused by a specific malignant lesion, intraepithelial papilloma, and 10% to 15% is caused by intraepithelial carcinoma or invasive carcinoma and a specific type of breast cancer. Therefore, if breast cancer causes nipple discharge, sufficient attention should be paid and various examinations such as breast B-ultrasound should be performed at the hospital before treatment can be carried out.

Nipple discharge that is water-like is usually not breast cancer, because the symptoms of breast cancer are usually dimpling of the skin above the breast, general weakness, lumps in the breast, dimpling of the skin, and nipple debulking and nipple retraction.

What is the cause of cold water discharge from the nipple?

1. Papilloma in the milk duct: This disease is more common in people aged 40 to 50 years old. 75% of the tumors occur in the position adjacent to the nipples. The tumors are not large, have pedicles and are hairy, and have many thin-walled blood vessels, so they are easy to bleed. Examination of the discharge may reveal tumor cells. Sometimes, when patients carefully touch their breasts, they may find a cherry-sized lump under the nipple, which is soft, smooth and movable.

2. Mammary duct ectasia: For some patients with this disease, the initial symptom is nipple discharge. The color of the discharge is mostly dark brown, and a few are solid; examination of the discharge shows a large number of plasma cells and reticulocytes but no tumor cells. This disease is more common in women over 40 years old who are not breastfeeding or in menopause. The nipple area where the discharge occurs has a hard lump adhered to the skin, which is usually less than 3 cm in diameter. The axillary lymph nodes in the same direction may be swollen, soft, and painful. If there is a high incidence of infection, the lump will show symptoms of inflammation such as redness, swelling, heat and pain.

3. Breast cystic hyperplasia: more common in pregnant women. The nipple discharge of some patients is light green, dark brown, thick or colorless slurry, and examination shows no tumor cells in the discharge.

This disease has two characteristics: one is that it is mainly manifested as regular breast swelling and pain, which is more common or aggravated before menstruation. In mild cases, patients often do not care about it, but in severe cases, it can affect work and daily life. Second, breast lumps are often multiple and can be seen on one side or one side, or they can be limited to part of the breast or dispersed throughout the breast. The lumps are lumpy and of varying sizes. They are not tough enough, have no adhesion to the skin, and have unclear boundaries with surrounding tissues. The lumps may become smaller after menstruation.

4. Breast tumor: Some patients with breast tumor have bright red or dark red nipple discharge, sometimes watery discharge, which is colorless and transparent, and occasionally sticky. After the discharge, there is no obvious mark after surgery, and tumor cells can be found in the discharge. The two peak incidence periods of this disease are 45 to 49 years old and 60 to 64 years old. The disease develops slowly. Patients may find a breast lump inadvertently, which is mostly located in the inner or outer breast, slightly painful, and gradually grows larger. In the late stage of the disease, orange peel-like skin changes and satellite masses appear at the site of the disease. The lymph nodes under the armpits are swollen and hard, and they become clustered together as the medical history progresses.

Friendly reminder: Breast diseases are like many gynecological diseases: the early symptoms are not obvious and cannot be treated in time, so they will have adverse effects on women's reproductive health. Regarding this matter, it is recommended that female friends should conduct regular health checks to promptly understand their own physical conditions and ensure early detection of diseases.