Six signs of breast cancer

1. Nipple retraction and change in orientation , eczema-like changes and pain in the nipple

Most breast cancer patients lack pain symptoms. Breast cancer is not easily detected early because pain rarely occurs. The pain often manifests as tingling, distension or dull pain in the breast. If the cancer is accompanied by cystic breast hyperplasia, periodic pain may also occur.

2. Changes in breast contour

When the lump is larger, the breast may have local bulge and enlargement. When the tumor involves the skin or pectoral muscles, it can cause the breast to become hard and shrink. When the patient sits upright, the affected breast can be raised.

3. Breast skin changes

The breast tissue is surrounded by the superficial fascia located under the skin, and the deep and superficial fascia are connected by Cooper's ligaments. Because the superficial fascia is connected to the skin, when breast cancer invades the Cooper ligaments between the breasts and shortens them, it will pull the skin, causing the local skin to become sunken, like a dimple, which is called the "dimple sign." In addition, direct adhesion of the tumor to the skin may also cause this situation. The dimple sign can appear at an early stage of breast cancer and is more obvious when the affected arm moves up and down.

4. Lump

It is the first symptom of breast cancer. Most lumps are located in the upper outer quadrant, followed by the upper inner quadrant and the nipple-areola area, and fewer in the lower area. The lumps vary in size, with 2 to 3 cm being the most common. They are mostly solitary but occasionally multiple. The lumps are mostly round or oval, with unclear boundaries, are generally hard nodules, and have poor mobility.

5. Nipple discharge

Those with nipple discharge and lumps are more likely to have breast cancer. The discharge can be colorless, milky white, light yellow, brown, bloody, etc.; it can be watery, bloody, serous or purulent; the amount of discharge can be more or less, and the intervals between discharges are also inconsistent.

6. Regional lymphadenopathy

Upper limb edema is widely metastatic to the axillary lymph nodes, internal mammary lymph nodes, axillary lymph nodes, and supraclavicular lymph nodes. 8. Distant metastasis manifestations: Breast cancer can metastasize to distant sites via the blood or lymphatic pathways, and the most common sites are the lungs, pleura, bones, liver, brain and soft tissues.