How to diagnose breast cancer

Everyone has heard of breast cancer! The female breast is composed of skin, fibrous tissue, mammary glands and fat. Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the mammary gland epithelial tissue. Currently, breast cancer has become a common tumor that threatens women's physical and mental health. Breast cancer has become a major public health issue in today's society. The incidence of breast cancer has certain regularity, and women with high-risk factors for breast cancer are prone to breast cancer. So how is breast cancer diagnosed? What are some symptoms of breast cancer?

Early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer are the key to improving treatment efficacy. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of breast cancer should be made in combination with the patient's clinical manifestations and medical history, physical examination, imaging examination, histopathology and cytopathology examination (in hospitals with the necessary conditions).

Most patients come to the hospital for treatment after accidentally discovering a breast lump. A few patients discover breast tumors or suspicious lesions through regular physical examinations or screenings. Palpable masses can be diagnosed by needle biopsy or surgical excisional biopsy. If no lump can be felt clinically and suspicious lesions are discovered through imaging examinations, biopsy can be performed with the help of imaging examinations to locate the lesions. Pathological examination is the gold standard for diagnosing breast cancer. The breast is located on the surface of the human body, so it should not be difficult to diagnose. However, according to statistics from Chinese hospitals, early cases still account for a minority.

1. Breast lumps

80% of breast cancer patients first present with a breast lump. Patients often discover breast lumps accidentally, which are usually single, hard, with irregular edges and a less smooth surface. Most breast cancers are painless lumps, and only a few are accompanied by varying degrees of dull pain or tingling.

2. Nipple discharge

The discharge of blood, serous fluid, milk, or pus from the nipple during the non-pregnancy period, or the continued discharge of milk after breastfeeding has stopped for more than half a year, is called nipple discharge. There are many causes of nipple discharge, common diseases include intraductal papilloma, breast hyperplasia, mammary duct ectasia and breast cancer. Unilateral single-hole bloody discharge should be further examined, and should be taken more seriously if accompanied by a breast mass.

3. Skin changes

Breast cancer can cause skin changes and present a variety of signs. The most common is that the tumor invades the Cooper ligament connecting the breast skin and the deep pectoral muscle fascia, causing it to shorten and lose elasticity, pulling the skin in the corresponding area and causing the "dimple sign", that is, a small depression appears in the breast skin, like a dimple. If cancer cells block the lymphatic vessels, "orange peel changes" will occur, that is, many small dot-like depressions will appear on the breast skin, just like orange peel. In the late stage of breast cancer, cancer cells infiltrate into the skin along lymphatic vessels, glandular ducts or fibrous tissue and grow, forming scattered hard nodules in the skin around the main cancer focus, the so-called "skin satellite nodules."

4. Abnormalities of nipples and areolas

Tumors located deep in or close to the nipple may cause nipple retraction. When the tumor is far away from the nipple and the large ducts in the breast are invaded and shortened, the nipple may also retract or rise. Eczematoid carcinoma of the nipple, also known as Paget's disease of the breast, is characterized by itching, erosion, ulceration, crusting, desquamation, and burning pain of the nipple skin, resulting in nipple retraction.

5. Swollen axillary lymph nodes

More than one-third of breast cancer patients admitted to large hospitals have axillary lymph node metastasis. In the early stage, the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes may be swollen, and the swollen lymph nodes are hard, scattered, and movable. As the disease progresses, the lymph nodes gradually fuse and become adhered and fixed to the skin and surrounding tissues. In the late stage, metastatic lymph nodes can be felt above the clavicle and in the contralateral axilla.

Everyone knows the symptoms of breast cancer! If similar symptoms occur, be sure to go to the hospital for examination and follow the doctor's advice. You should also have regular physical examinations and verify any abnormalities. Pay attention to health care in daily life, develop reasonable eating and living habits, combine work and rest, insist on physical exercise, actively participate in social activities, avoid and reduce mental and psychological stress factors, and maintain a peace of mind. I wish you good health!