Breast cancer – first symptoms

First symptoms

Lumps

lumps usually cannot be seen with the naked eye, but they can be felt by touch and most often represent the first symptom of cancer. Scattered, lumpy changes in the breast, most often in the upper outer area, are usually not cancer. A firm, hard lump with irregular edges located in only one breast may be a sign of cancer. During self-examination, it is important to also pay attention to lumps in the armpit,

Skin texture

dimpling (a small hollow) or a feeling of tightness in the breast,

Rash

the tissue around the breast may also be affected by a rash,

Change in nipple appearance

a nipple that was once protruding has now become inverted,

Discharge

discharge in the form of bloody or clear to yellow fluid, which may look like pus, could appear from one or both nipples,

Appearance of visible veins on the breasts

veins appear during pregnancy or with rapid development of the disease,

Unexplained weight loss

a sudden loss of more than 4 kilograms in one month, without excessive physical activity or reducing calorie intake, should certainly not be ignored.

If you notice one or several of the listed symptoms, it does not necessarily mean that it is cancer, but you should certainly inform a doctor about the changes.

Who is at risk

• if someone among close relatives in the family (female side) had breast cancer
• women who have dense breasts
• women who got their first menstruation very early, before the age of 12
• who are over 50 years old
• who entered menopause before the age of 50
• who are overweight
• women who have not given birth or had their first child after the age of 30
• women who smoke cigarettes
• if a biopsy of the breast found a disorder of the normal cell structures

Prevention

Many risk factors cannot be controlled, which means that primary prevention in this case is not effective. However, secondary prevention, that is, early detection and timely treatment, can be carried out through breast self-examination.

Self-examination can save a life! It should be performed by all women over the age of 20 on a monthly basis! Radiological examinations for the purpose of detecting breast cancer are 3d mammography, digital mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

It should be kept in mind that the disease begins quietly and insidiously, without signs. Therefore, the importance of diagnostic examinations that detect this malignant disease should be emphasized.

1. Women up to the age of 40 should perform self-examinations as well as breast ultrasound (at intervals of 1 to 3 years) until the age of 40
2. Women over the age of 40 should begin with mammography/3d mammography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every year in combination.
3. Women at increased risk of developing breast cancer should certainly have all of the listed examinations every year.

If you have noticed any of these symptoms, feel free to contact us and schedule an examination!