Early symptoms and signs of breast cancer

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor of breast tissue. There are many early symptoms and precursors of breast cancer, the most common of which are breast lumps, nipple discharge, skin changes, nipple changes, regional lymph node enlargement, etc. If you feel unwell, you need to see a doctor in time for relevant examinations. The details are as follows:

1. Breast lumps: 80% of breast cancers are first discovered as breast lumps, which are usually touched accidentally. The lumps are mostly single, hard, with irregular edges and rough surfaces. Most are painless, and only a few patients feel dull pain or tingling. The lumps are generally small, but will gradually increase in size as the disease progresses.

2. Nipple discharge: Non-lactating women should be highly alert to the possibility of breast cancer when they have nipple discharge, especially bloody, serous, or watery discharge. Nipple discharge may be accompanied by symptoms such as nipple atrophy and inversion.

3. Skin changes: The breast skin may develop dimples, which is a small depression on the skin surface that looks like a dimple. It may also develop orange peel, which is a lot of small dot-like protrusions on the skin surface that look like orange peel. The breast skin may also become thicker and coarser, with enlarged pores, redness, edema, thickening, and increased temperature.

4. Nipple changes: The nipple may become elevated, inverted, or eroded, which is caused by the tumor invading the milk ducts and nipple tissue. The nipple may also become flat or atrophied.

5. Regional lymph node enlargement: In the early stage of breast cancer, the ipsilateral axillary lymph node enlargement may occur. This is due to the metastasis of cancer cells to the lymph nodes along the lymphatic vessels. Lymph node enlargement may appear as a painless, progressively enlarged mass.

We should pay attention to breast health in daily life, including regular breast self-examination, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and reducing bad living habits.