Top 7 Early Signs & Symptoms of Breast Cancer You Should Know

The term cancer in itself is depressing for anyone to hear and when a woman hears about breast cancer, she almost faints! Yes, breast cancer is one of the most rapidly growing types of cancer found in several women across the world after skin cancer. As the name suggests, breast cancer starts in the breast tissue and when it grows out of control, spreads to other parts of the body forming big tumors. Shockingly, not just females, even males these days are suffering from male breast cancer. 

Let us identify some early symptoms of breast cancer and also learn about the breast cancer survival rate by reading this article.

Causes of Breast Cancer

Let us now throw some light on understanding what could cause breast cancer in women. Following are some of the common reasons that may lead to breast cancer:

1. Age

Women over the age of 50 are at a higher risk of developing symptoms of breast cancer.

2. Lifestyle

Another big reason that may cause breast cancer in females is lifestyle. Women who consume alcohol or smoke regularly are at a higher risk of developing signs of breast cancer. 

3. Obesity

Being overweight is a cause of several health disorders and this includes breast cancer too. The risk of breast cancer increases as you put on excess weight. 

4. Family History

A woman with another woman in blood relation who has suffered or suffering from breast cancer is most likely to suffer from this disease too. 

5. Birth Control Pill and HRT

Women who are on birth control pills or taking hormone replacement therapy are more prone to suffer from breast cancer. 

6. Dense Breast Tissue

Females with dense breast tissue are also at a higher risk of breast cancer. 

7. Breastfeeding and Estrogen Exposure

Women with too much estrogen levels or are breastfeeding for over 1 year are also at a higher risk of breast cancer. 

Types of Breast Cancer

Not everyone knows that breast cancer is of several types. Let us acquaint you with some of the types of breast cancer:

1. Angiosarcoma

This type of breast cancer takes place in the lining of the lymph and blood vessels and show bruise-like lesions growing in size over time. 

2. Inflammatory Breast Cancer

This type of breast cancer is rare and is characterized by redness and swelling of the breast skin. 

3. Ductal Carcinoma in situ

Commonly known as Stage 0 breast cancer, this is a type of cancer where the cancer cells have not yet spread beyond the milk ducts and this makes it easy to treat.

4. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

This form of breast cancer forms in the milk ducts of a woman’s breast. About 80% of women suffer from this type of breast cancer. 

5. Lobular Carcinoma in situ

In this type of breast cancer, there is an abnormal growth of cells in the lobules in the breast. 

6. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

In this type of breast cancer, cancer cells form in the lobules of a woman’s breast. About 10 to 15% of breast cancer patients suffer from this type of breast cancer. 

7. Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

This type of breast cancer accounts for about 15% of breast cancer cases across the globe. It is the worst type of breast cancer, which is difficult to treat.

8. Paget’s Disease of the Breast

This type of cancer affects the nipple and areola region of the breast.

Breast Cancer Stages

There are five stages of breast cancer, 0 to 5. Each stage is characterized with specific symptoms and characteristics. Let us dig deeper to understand different breast cancer stages:

1. Stage 0

Also, referred to as ductal carcinoma in situ, stage 0 breast cancer is when the cancer cells are present only within the ducts. 

2. Stage 1

This is the stage when the cancer cells grow to up to 2 cms and are very small in number and size. 

3. Stage 2

In stage 2, the tumor is more than 2cm and starts spreading to the nearby nodes too. It grows up to 5 cm and starts growing at a rapid speed. 

4. Stage 3

In stage 3, the tumor is at least 5 cm and grows even further. It spreads to more lymph nodes in the nearby region.

5. Stage 4

This is the last stage of breast cancer, when the cancer cells have spread to other organs of the body too like the brain, liver, bones, and so on. 

Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer or any other cancer when detected in its early stage is easier to cure. So, what are the early symptoms of breast cancer? Read on to know about them:

1. Rash around one nipple

2. Inverted or sunken nipple

3. Change in the size of the breast

4. Change in the color of the breast

5. Pain in the armpit or breast

6. Bloody discharge from a nipple

7. Scaling, flaking, and peeling of the skin around the nipple or on the breast

Read More: Breast Cancer Screening For An Early Save

Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

If a woman feels something unusual in her breast, she must consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis. A doctor may prescribe the following tests and procedures for a breast cancer diagnosis:

• Breast Examination
• Imaging Tests like Mammogram, X-Rays, and Ultrasound
• Biopsy

Breast Cancer Survival Rate

According to recent studies, 9 out of 10 women who suffer from breast cancer are still alive after 5 years of suffering from this cancer form. This means, the breast cancer survival rate is as high as 90%, which is pretty good, as compared to other types of cancers. 

The Bottom Line

Breast cancer is a disease that is engulfing a wide population of women across the world. If detected in its early stages, it becomes easy to cure. One must also note that a female who has suffered from breast cancer is most likely to develop it again in the future. So, there is a need for regular screening and mammograms to keep the condition under check and detect symptoms of breast cancer.