What are the symptoms of Breast Cancer & how can one detect it ?

Answer 1

There are two main places in the breast where cancer can occur: the lobules (the milk-producing tissue) and the ducts (which carry the milk to the nipple).

Ductal carcinoma in situ means an early cancer in the milk ducts. It can be detected by mammograms and is normally easy to cure.

Invasive ductal carcinoma means a cancer that started in the milk ducts but has now spread beyond them.

Lobular carcinoma in situ is not considered to be cancer. It is a pre-cancerous condition. Most women with lobular carcinoma in situ do not get breast cancer, but they have an increased risk of getting it, so they are given frequent checkups.

Invasive lobular carcinoma is a cancer that starts in the lobules and has spread. These can be difficult to diagnose as they do not always form a lump or show up on mammograms.

Screening for breast cancer by mammography (X-raying the breast) is offered every three years in the UK to all women between 50 and 64. The highest number of cases of breast cancer occurs in women between these ages.



Mammography can detect very early breast tumours, when they are too small to be felt. In fact, most of the breast cancers detected by screening are at this very early stage, when they are relatively easy to cure. Studies have shown that women who take part in screening are more likely to have breast cancer diagnosed early and more likely to have it cured and, as a result, are less likely to die from it, than women who do not take part in mammography screening.



Another method of screening available to all women is to feel the breasts for any lumps. A guide on how to do this properly can be obtained at any doctor's surgery. Women should also check for the other main symptoms:

Change in the size or shape of a breast
Dimpling of the breast skin
The nipple becoming inverted
Swelling or a lump in the armpit

The most important method used to diagnose breast cancer is by taking a biopsy (a tissue sample). A hollow needle is pushed into the breast lump to capture a tiny sample of the tissue. This is examined under a microscope. The shape and appearance of the cells in the tissue sample reveals whether the lump is benign, which is true of the vast majority, or if it is cancerous.

The main treatment for breast cancer is surgery. In most cases, conservative surgery is used, which preserves the shape and appearance of the breast. For very early breast cancer, only the lump and a small area of tissue around it is removed. For later stage breast cancer, much more tissue is removed but it is replaced with muscle to rebuild the breast. Since breast cancer cells usually spread first to the lymph node in the armpit, the surgeon will usually cut into it to check for any spread.



The surgery may be followed by a short course of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, depending on the type of tumour and how advanced it is. In most cases, the patient will be given a longer course of hormone therapy (eg tamoxifen) which reduces the risk of the cancer recurring.



The treatment for breast cancer has been improving for the last twenty years. In the early 1970's, only half of all women diagnosed with the disease survived for five years. Now, over three quarters survive for that long and most of them will live for very much longer.

Answer 2

Breast cancer is widely prevalent among females, although an news article in TOI today suggests that even males can be affected! Some of the symptoms that can indicate this condition are:

a) Lumpiness of the breast (can be easily detected). Even a small lump should not be ignored
b) tenderness of the breast or pain in the nipples
c) any kind of discharge from the nipple or swelling of the breast etc...

Its often advised that regular checkup be performed for women above a certain age (above 30 i guess) for this disease.

Answer 3

Symptoms are:

* Lumps in the breast

* Pain

* Any kind of discharge from nipples

Answer 4

the first sign is of course a lump.in some cases it starts with the lump in armpit,though a very small one..... with no pain but then gradually one start feeling it painful..low- energy,lost of hunger are other symptoms
the best way is to get examined if you are having any kind of lump whether it is painful or not
wearing unsuitable bodice also causes it
to get cured thebest way is the removal of affected breast n then kimotherapy n radiotherapy....to root it out
always remember that if it is detected in initial stages it is surely cured..so never ignore any LUMP

Answer 5

not exactly, but the likeliness of contracting breast cancer can be detected, for example you can get a catscan to see if you have any mutations on the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. if you do u have a likeliness to get breast cancer and you may want to check often to made sure u dont contract it.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

if you are a left hander and women then u have 98% of chance to get it lumps in breast,reddishiness around the nipples and pain of pinch in breasts

Answer 8

firstly u feel a lump is present in ur breast . tats Ist stage .slowly u hav a bad cough with blood sput .then u feel weak & ur hairs & eyebrows & body hair start fallin.u will hav dark spots on ur skin & eyes etc.