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8 hidden signs of breast cancer

Here are the 8 hidden signs of breast cancer that can help you detect cancer at the earlier stages, allowing for a better prognosis.

According to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute, women who spot the signs of breast cancer at an earlier stage have a 99 percent chance of living for more than five years.

The 8 hidden signs of breast cancer include:

1. Lump in the breast: A lump in the breast is the most common early sign of breast cancer. The 2017 study published in Cancer Epidemiology reported that 83 percent of women with breast cancer have at least one lump.
   • Lumps of breast cancer include:
     • Hard
     • Immobile (feel fixed to the area underneath or around it)
     • Usually not painful
2. Inverted nipple: An inverted nipple means that the nipple is pointed inward. Some women may normally have inverted nipples. However, nipple inversion in women who previously had outward-pointing nipples may be concerning. The 2017 study published in Cancer Epidemiology reported that nipple abnormalities are the second most common sign of breast cancer.
3. Dimpling or wrinkling of the skin: Any recent dimpling or wrinkling of skin over the breast can be a sign of breast cancer. Its appearance is similar to that of dimples on the face or indentations. This occurs when breast cancer is pulling the skin within.
4. Orange-peel-like appearance: When a part of the breast resembles the skin of an orange, this can be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is a type of breast cancer in which the breast becomes red and swollen and becomes pitted similar to an orange peel.
5. Irritated skin: If your breast skin looks irritated (red) or swollen, it may be a hidden sign of inflammatory breast cancer.
6. Nipple discharge: Nipple discharge is most commonly found in noncancerous lumps in the skin. However, it can be a sign of breast cancer, especially if the discharge is red or bloody.
7. Itchiness in nipples: Paget’s disease is a rare type of breast cancer. However, if you have developed itchiness or crusting on the nipple, these may be signs of rare cancer.
8. Lump in the armpit: A lump in the armpit is most likely swollen lymph nodes. You may have had them before. However, they grow larger when breast cancer starts growing and spreading. The enlarged lymph nodes may be a sign of breast cancer.

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

Doctors will ask for signs and symptoms, take your complete medical history, and perform a physical examination of your breast. They will first try to rule out other causes of breast symptoms, such as infections or noncancerous lumps (fibroadenoma).

To confirm their diagnosis, the doctor will order one or more of the tests that include:

• Mammogram
• Breast ultrasound
• A magnetic resonance imaging scan
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Biopsy (a surgical procedure to remove the breast tissue for examination under a microscope)

Your doctor can ask for a positron emission tomography scan, which is like a whole-body CT scan. The scan helps check whether breast cancer has spread anywhere else in the body.

What are the screening tests for breast cancer and who can get one?

Screening tests mean checking for the presence of cancer even if there are no symptoms or signs. They can help find breast cancer early so that treatment can be initiated at the earliest.

Breast cancer is easier to treat successfully when it has been found early and is small. Therefore, taking a regular breast cancer screening test becomes so important.

The American Cancer Society recommends women with an average risk undergo a basic cancer screening test that includes a mammogram. Recommendations depend on their age.

• Between 40 and 44 years: Women have the option of going or not going for a mammogram every year.
• Between 45 and 54 years: Women should get mammograms every year.
• 55 years and older: Women can consider a mammogram every alternate year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms. They should continue doing the screening as long as they are healthy and are expected to live for at least 10 more years.

Average risk women include those with:

• No personal history of breast cancer.
• No strong family history of breast cancer or a genetic change related to an increased risk of breast cancer.
• No history of chest radiation therapy before the age of 30 years.

How is breast cancer treated?

Your doctor will try to evaluate what type of breast cancer you have and look at various factors that include:

• Location and extent of the tumor
• Growth of the tumor (slow-growing or fast-growing)
• Your age
• Your overall health
• Your menopausal status
• Your personal preferences
• Presence of known inherited mutations such as BRCA1 or BRCA2

Depending on the above factors, the treatment of your breast cancer may include one or more of the therapies that include:

• Chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs to shrink or destroy the tumor)
• Mastectomy (surgery to remove whole or part of your affected breast)
• Targeted therapy (HER2-targeted therapy if the cancer cells contain too much HER2 protein)
• Hormone therapy (medications to treat breast cancer that is sensitive to hormones)
• Radiation (high-energy beams that are targeted toward the tumor and are often given after surgery)
• Immunotherapy (medications that use your immune system to fight cancer)