You should know how to judge the mid-stage symptoms of breast cancer in the future

Because breast cancer is a very harmful disease, early treatment is particularly important to avoid worsening of breast cancer. Many patients do not know to what extent the disease has progressed, so today we will introduce to you the symptoms of mid-stage breast cancer.

1. Number

Breast cancer is most commonly seen as a single lump in one breast. Multiple unilateral masses and primary bilateral breast cancer are uncommon in clinical practice. However, with the improvement of tumor prevention and treatment, the survival period of patients continues to increase. After surgery for breast cancer on one side, the chance of a second primary cancer developing in the contralateral breast will increase.

2. Location

With the nipple as the center, the breast can be divided into five areas by making a cross: upper inner, upper outer, lower inner, lower outer and center (areola). Breast cancer is most common on the outer side, followed by the inner side. Inner-lower and outer-lower are less common.

3. Hardness

Breast cancer lumps are hard in texture, but cellular medullary carcinoma may be slightly softer, and a single lump may be cystic, such as cystic papillary carcinoma. There is a small amount of mass surrounded by a large amount of fat tissue, which feels soft when palpated.

4. Activity

When the mass is smaller, it has greater mobility, but this activity is along with the mass and its surrounding tissues, which is different from the mobility of fibroadenoma. If the tumor invades the pectoralis major fascia, the range of motion will be weakened; if the tumor further involves the pectoralis major muscle, the movement will disappear. Ask the patient to put his hands on his hips and straighten his chest to shorten the pectoral muscles, and significant asymmetry of the breasts on both sides can be seen. Advanced breast cancer can invade the chest wall, which is completely fixed. The lymph nodes around the tumor are invaded, and the skin edema may appear like orange peel, called orange peel sign. Nodules appear under the skin around the tumor, called satellite nodules.

5. Size

The lumps of early breast cancer are usually small and sometimes difficult to distinguish from lobular hyperplasia or some benign lesions. However, even a very small lump may sometimes affect the suspensory ligaments of the breast, causing symptoms such as depression of some skin or retraction of the nipple, which are easier to detect in the early stages. In the past, due to poor medical care, lumps were often larger when patients sought medical treatment. Nowadays, with the popularization of breast self-examination and the development of screening work, the number of early breast cancer cases clinically has increased.

6. Shape and gap

Most breast cancers show hygroscopic growth with unclear boundaries. Some may be flat, with a rough surface and a nodular feel. However, it should be noted that the smaller the lump, the less obvious the above symptoms are. In addition, a small number of special types of breast cancer may have less moisturizing and swollen growth, and appear smooth, mobile, and have clear boundaries, which is difficult to distinguish from benign tumors.

7. Breast pain

Although pain can be seen in many breast diseases, it is not a common symptom of breast tumors. Whether benign or malignant, breast tumors are usually painless. Postmenopausal women who experience breast pain and gland thickening will have an increased risk of breast cancer.