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Important Breast Cancer Information for Men and Women
Different people may have different breast
cancer symptoms. You may have all of the common symptoms, only
some of them, or perhaps no symptoms at all. For that reason,
if you believe that you are displaying breast cancer symptoms,
you owe it to yourself to be examined by a doctor as soon as
possible.
This article covers breast cancer information
for women, please read our article on male breast cancer if you have
concerns about breast cancer and you are a man.
Breast cancer symptoms can include a bloody or clear discharge
from the nipple, as well as a change in the nipple shape.
Dimpling or indentations are common deformities that some women
with breast cancer experience. Palpable lumps are other
alarming symptoms that could mean breast cancer is present.
Many times, actual breast
cancer symptoms are mistaken for events that occur
naturally in the breast. At some points in a woman's menstrual
cycle, for example, her breasts can swell and become sore. This
is a normal event that is due to hormone fluctuations and not
necessarily a sign of cancer in the breast. You should visit
your doctor for professional breast cancer care and
information, to be on the safe side, the first time you
experience swelling or soreness.
The one symptom most people are familiar with is a lump. Many
times a lump can be an early sign of breast cancer, and should
be checked by your doctor immediately. The lump should feel
firm, but with some give, not unlike a piece of chewed gum.
Lumps are generally not painful. Painful lumps are often a sign
of something else, such as cysts. These lumps can occur
anywhere, but most commonly they appear under the nipple and at
the outer edge of the breast near the armpit.
It's important to note that not all lumps are an indication of
cancer. Many women have naturally fibrous or "lumpy" breasts.
If this is the case, you should discuss with your doctor the
best method of testing for you. Recent scientific studies have
shown that women are often not able to detect most lumps by
doing a breast self exam, as many hide too far below the
surface, or are very small.
Symptoms of advanced breast cancer include sores on the skin,
pain in the breast bone or elsewhere in the chest, a swelling
and sore arm on the same side as the cancer, and reduced
appetite. Cancer that has gone this far without treatment will
be difficult to manage.
You can get more breast cancer
information from your doctor, so you need to tell him or
her immediately if any new symptoms appear or if existing ones
get worse. There may be weight loss and a loss of appetite as
well. As breast cancer moves into these stages, treatment
becomes more and more difficult. The finest diagnosis and
breast cancer information is going to be what your doctor tells
you. Consequently, be sure to talk over anything which may seem
different about your health and discuss your current breast
cancer symptoms with your doctor just as soon as you become
aware of them.
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