Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women besides cervical cancer. Early detection of breast cancer can increase the chances of recovery.
Knowing the characteristics of early stage breast cancer is also important because it is not just a lump, there are even some cases of breast cancer without a lump. There are several other signs when you have breast cancer. What are they?
Check out the full explanation below.
Characteristics of Early Stage Breast Cancer
Here are a series of characteristics of early stage breast cancer that need to be watched out for:
1. Lump in the breast
An early sign that is often realized when exposed to breast cancer is a lump in the breast. The lump will feel hard, irregular in shape and does not hurt in the early stages.
2. Lump in the armpit
Lumps in the armpits that are cancerous usually tend to be painful, do not move when palpated and are difficult to touch, but not all hard lumps in the armpits are a sign of cancer, you need to do a medical examination at a specialist.
3. Breast size and shape changes
These breast changes can be in shape, size and appearance. Although changes in breast shape and size can also occur when a woman is pregnant and breastfeeding.
4. Breast skin color and texture changes
Breast cancer is characterized by the breast becoming reddish and the skin scaly in the nipple area or the entire breast. There is also thickening and swelling of some parts of the breast.
5. Dimples and wrinkles in the breast
Orange peel-like dimples may cover most of the breast skin. This happens when the lymph vessels in the breast that help transport body substances are blocked.
So the skin may appear dimpled when a tumor forms underneath. The area may also look inflamed and redder or darker.
Wrinkles will look like indentations and may protrude in the breast. This is a sign that a tumor is forming under the skin of the breast. The wrinkles appear because the ligaments inside the breast pull the skin inward, making it appear puckered.
6. Nipples are engorged, oozing and painful
Another common sign of breast cancer is that the nipple is indented or inverted inward and painful. Then the nipple oozes fluid including blood.
Breast pain is not a symptom of breast cancer.
How to diagnose breast cancer
The characteristics of early stage breast cancer can be realized by you by doing regular breast self-examination or SADARI, which is 7-10 days after menstruation.
When you find signs like the above, either one or even all of them. You better go to the doctor immediately for further examination.
There are several types of examinations to diagnose breast cancer, including:
- Mammogram: A test used to look for early signs of breast cancer with a special X-ray machine.
- Breast ultrasound: To see the condition of the breast in detail by using sound waves to produce an image called a sonogram.
- Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A process to create detailed images of areas inside the breast by scanning the body using magnets connected to a computer.
- Biopsy: Taking tissue or fluid from the breast to look at under a microscope and do more testing. The aim is to see if there are any cancer cells in the breast.
Thank you for reading this article. Have a nice day.
