What are the mid-stage symptoms of breast cancer?

With the development of economy, women's status in society is getting higher and higher. Women are shouldering more and more responsibilities at work. Pressure and competitiveness from all sides have led to a rising incidence of breast cancer in women in contemporary society. What are the mid-term symptoms of breast cancer ? As a woman, it is very necessary to understand the mid-term symptoms of breast cancer not only for yourself but also for your friends.

Understanding the mid-stage symptoms of breast cancer can help us make a correct diagnosis of breast cancer as early as possible, and provide timely treatment to avoid serious consequences that we are powerless to prevent. Especially for women who have breast cancer in their family.

The earliest symptom of breast cancer is a single, painless, progressively growing small lump in the affected breast. The lump is most commonly located in the upper outer quadrant, followed by the nipple-areola area and the upper inner quadrant. Because there are usually no subjective symptoms, the lump is often discovered by the patient accidentally (such as when taking a bath or changing clothes). A few patients may experience varying degrees of tenderness or irritation and nipple discharge. The lump grows rapidly and invades surrounding tissues, causing changes in the appearance of the breast and a series of signs, such as: sunken skin on the surface of the tumor; the tumor adjacent to the nipple can pull the nipple toward the tumor; inverted nipple, etc. A larger tumor can shrink the entire breast tissue; the lump is noticeably protruding; the tumor continues to grow, forming the so-called "orange peel-like" change. These are all important signs of breast cancer.

Lymph node metastasis of breast cancer often manifests as enlarged lymph nodes in the ipsilateral axillary. Initially, they are scattered, painless, hard, small in number and can be moved. Later, the enlarged lymph nodes increase in number and adhere to each other into a mass, becoming fixed to the skin or deep axillary tissue. A small number of patients may experience metastasis to the contralateral axillary lymph nodes.

When breast cancer develops to the late stage, the surface skin is invaded and skin nodules may appear, or even skin ruptures to form ulcers. The cancer invades deeper and may invade the pectoral fascia and pectoral muscles, causing the tumor to be fixed to the chest wall and difficult to move.

We know that the mid-term symptoms of breast cancer are mainly painless lumps in the breast, and they mainly occur alone. If you find such changes in your breasts, and they do not change with the menstrual cycle, and sometimes you can find lumps in the armpit on the same side, then you must be vigilant. It is best to go to a specialist hospital for examination and a clear diagnosis.