Top Alarming Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Top Alarming Symptoms of Breast Cancer Schedule an Appointment Over the last few years, there has been a rise in cancer incidences in India. Most of the time, symptoms of breast cancer get unnoticed. It is the result of various reasons such as lifestyle change, addiction to harmful substances, aging, and food habits are certainly important causes. India will reach 1.2 million new patients fighting cancer and approximately 2.2 million survivors, according to the latest Globocon data. There is quite a difference in the pattern of cancer in males and In a male, the most common forms of cancer are oral, lung, and lip, whereas, in a female, the most common forms are cervix, breast, and oral cancers. Dr. Shilpy Dolas is a Breast Cancer Specialist in Pune in the following blog she has guided in creating awareness by telling about symptoms of breast cancer How can awareness help to fight cancer and read about symptoms of breast cancer? People are unaware of the early symptoms of cancer and its signs. Moreover, people have many taboos related to cancer, prohibiting them from coming for treatment. If cancer is detected in the right stage, treatment is possible and can completely be cured with proper guidance. Survival rate Early diagnosis and proper treatment of cancer increase the survival rate from cancer. It has been found that most of the Indian population comes for treatment at an advanced stage when cancer has spread to other vital organs. Late prognosis and the start of treatment reduce the chance of survival. Consult an oncologist for further diagnosis and evaluation if you find any alarming symptoms. Alarming early symptoms of breast cancer Breast Lump The first and foremost sign-on of breast cancer is the discovery of a breast lump. The lump can be painless, and you might ignore it at first. The lump in your breast can be harmless; however, you must get it checked by a physician. The sooner you find out the cause of the lump, the easier it will be to treat it. Pain in breast There can be a usual pain in your breast, which could be regular aches or an alarming sign of cancer. Therefore, it is important that if your pain remains longer without any injury, it is not normal. Prolonged pain should be checked with a physician as early as possible, and the same applies to your nipple area pain. However, breast pain can be due to several reasons like fluctuation of hormones, ill-fitted bra, certain birth control pills, development of cysts in breasts, etc. Discharge from nipples Nipples are a type of valve that helps babies to drink milk. The milk will flow freely when babies suck, or it may flow automatically when the breasts are full. Despite this, nipples shouldn’t have any kind of discharge other than milk release. Any experience of such nipple discharge should be immediately considered and checked by an oncologist. Swelling Breasts are quite similar in size, with one breast often slightly larger. The alarming sign is when one of the breasts gets suddenly swollen for no reason than the other. In such a scenario, you shouldn’t waste your time and immediately consult a doctor; an early diagnosis will save you from pain and discomfort. Change in overall appearance The breasts, apart from aging, remain the same in appearance once they are developed. Any physical change in the appearance of the breasts, which includes size and shape, is another alarming sign of breast cancer. It is best to consult with a doctor to find out the real cause behind the issue, as being late can affect your health. Flaking skin The skin of your breast areola is quite soft and smooth. The skin of the areola didn’t face any friction other than ill-fitted bras. If you experience flaky, scaly, or rough skin texture on that part, it may be due to breast cancer. Therefore, you must check with your doctor if your experience changes in the skin texture of the areola. Maybe the change in skin is nothing but an unusual skin issue, but it is better to stay aware. Increasing fear of cancer lead to mastectomies or Double mastectomies It is increasing fear among women at high risk of developing cancer. A double mastectomy may protect you from developing cancer. A double mastectomy may protect you from a high risk of getting breast cancer due to a genetic mutation. Why do women choose mastectomies? Many women undergo surgery to look good, as they feel with one breast surgery, they will look out of balance. Following the operation, patients can opt for plastic surgery to reconstruct their breasts and look perfect. Top factors associated with breast cancer Reasons for benign breast lumps: There could be several reasons behind breast lumps, including breast infection, fibroadenoma, fibrocystic breast disease, and fat necrosis. At the same time, fat necrosis and a cancerous lump can be difficult to distinguish without a biopsy. Painless lumps can be one of the most common symptoms. Late signs of breast cancer While the early signs have been discussed above, the late signs include inward turning of the nipple; an existing lump may get bigger, dimpling of the surface of the breast, orange peel of the skin’s texture, unintentional weight loss, and visible veins on the breast. META Information The symptoms may vary, and having one or more of the above symptoms doesn’t mean you have breast cancer. Timely identification and diagnosis help in letting you out of cancer. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that helps identify the difference between a malignant and benign mass of cancer; your oncologist would recommend this test along with an MRI scan to get a non-invasive image to examine the breast tissue.