Breast Cancer Symptoms
Catching breast cancer symptoms early can save your life. Most doctors will encourage women to conduct self checks periodically and immediately seek medical attention, if there is any cause for concern. As important as it is to learn about the method of conducting a self analysis of the breast, it is as important to aware of the various symptoms that one needs to look for. A few common symptoms that point in the direction of breast cancer are a bloody discharge from the nipple, inverted nipples, changes in the skin over the breast and even flakey skin in this area. Sometimes even a swelling in the armpit could be a symptom of breast cancer. However, the one most common symptom is a lump in the breast. If you find that you have developed a lump in the breast, it is advisable to seek your gynecologist’s opinion right away. There are few women who suffer from a few lumps especially during their periods or while breastfeeding, but these do not mean that the women have breast cancer. All the same if you do feel a lump, it is always better to get a malignancy tests done in order to rule out breast cancer.
When assessing the various signs and symptoms of breast cancer, it is important to keep in mind that every lump in the breast is not necessarily cancer, so do not panic if you feel a lump. All the same, also remember that catching the cancer early will help cure it much faster.
While most of us are aware of the symptoms of breast cancer we are not aware of its various stages. Breast cancer is classified in five states. The first and initial stage is known as zero level and the number keeps increasing as the cancer spreads. The fourth stage is when the cancer is rarely treatable.
When looking for a breast cancer symptom, keep in mind that mostly painful lumps do not indicate cancer. In its initial stages cancer is usually painless and it is only as the cancer starts to spread that the pain takes over the patient. This is also one of the reasons why the cancer is often missed in its early stages.
Indeed, it is crucial that one learns about breast cancer and symptoms of the disease in detail. Those who fall in the high target category must seek advice from their physician and undergo a mammography annually too. Women over the age of 45 years, who smoke, drink or have diabetes, fall in the high risk category.
Breast cancer is the second most widespread cancer, the first being lung cancer. Statistics prove that one in every eight women either has breast cancer or will develop it. Indeed the only precaution against this disease is to arm oneself with the knowledge of various breast cancer symptoms and watch out for them carefully.