BREAST CANCER SYMPTOMS

Welcome to the breast cancer symptoms page

Breast Cancer Symptons

Women with breast cancer may experience the following signs or symptoms. Sometimes, women with breast cancer do not show any of these symptoms. Or, these symptoms may be similar to symptoms of other medical conditions. If you are concerned about a symptom on this list, please talk to your doctor.

However, many breast cancers develop with no symptoms at all. Some tumors may be visible on a mammogram before symptoms develop. It is important for all women to be familiar with the appearance, feel, shape, and texture of their breasts in order to detect changes as soon as they occur.

* New lumps (many women normally have lumpy breasts) or a thickening in the breast or under the arm

* Nipple tenderness, discharge, or physical changes (such as turned inward nipple or a persistent sore)

* Skin irritation or changes, such as puckers, dimples, scaliness, or new creases

* Warm, red, swollen breasts with a rash resembling the skin of an orange (peaud'orange)

* Pain in the breast (usually not a symptom of breast cancer, but should be reported to a doctor

SIGNS AND SYMPTONS

Most breast cancers appear as a slowly growing, painless mass, though a vague discomfort may be present. Physical signs include a retracted nipple, bleeding from the nipple, distorted areola or breast contour, skin dimpling over the lesion, attachment of the mass to surrounding tissues including the underlying fascia and overlying skin, and enlarged lymph nodes. In most advanced stages of the disease the skin nodules with ultimate breakdown and ulcer formation may be seen. Metastases should be sought immediately so that further spread will not be a factor. Among the common sites of metastases are the lungs and pleura, the skeleton (specifically the spine, pelvis, and skull), and the liver. Whenever possible, distant spread of the disease should be confirmed by a lymph nose biopsy, by x-ray, or by liver and bone scans using radioactive isotopes.

What is a "Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy"

A simple benign cyst in the right breast - biopsy is not necessary.

Ultrasound is an excellent way to evaluate breast abnormalities detected by mammography, the patient or her doctor, but in some cases it is not possible to tell from the imaging studies alone whether a growth is benign or cancerous. Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy is a highly accurate way to evaluate suspicious masses within the breast that are visible on ultrasound, whether or not they can be felt on breast self-examination or clinical examination. The procedure prevents the need to remove tissue surgically and also eliminates the radiation exposure that comes from using x-rays to locate a mass. After placing an ultrasound probe over the site of the breast lump and using local anesthesia, the radiologist guides a biopsy needle directly into the mass. Tissue specimens are taken using an automatic spring-loaded or vacuum-assisted device.

What are some common uses of the procedure?

Ultrasound is most often used to guide breast biopsy when a breast abnormality is visible on ultrasound. It may be performed with either a large hollow needle (automated core breast biopsy) or a vacuum-powered instrument. When it is necessary to do an open surgical biopsy, a guide wire first is passed directly into the mass. This procedure also may be guided by ultrasound.

Ultrasound-guided biopsy is most useful when there are suspicious changes on the mammogram that can also be seen on an ultrasound exam but no abnormality can be felt on breast self-examination or clinical examination by your primary care physician. However, there are times when your doctor decides that ultrasound guidance for biopsy is appropriate even for a mass that can be felt.

What are the benefits vs. risks?

Benefits

* Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy reliably provides tissue samples that can show whether a breast lump is benign or malignant. When using the VAD it may be possible to remove the entire lesion.

* Ultrasound-guided core biopsy, using either the core method or the VAD, takes much less time than surgical biopsy, causes less tissue damage and is far less costly.

* Compared with x-ray or stereotactically guided breast biopsy, the ultrasound method is faster and avoids the need for ionizing radiation exposure. With ultrasound it is possible to follow the motion of the biopsy needle as it takes place.

* Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy is able to evaluate lumps under the arm or near the chest wall, which are hard to assess by the x-ray-guided (stereotactic) method.

* Ultrasound-guided biopsy is somewhat less expensive than the x-ray-guided (stereotactic) method.

Risks

* When the VAD is used for ultrasound-guided breast biopsy, large pieces of tissue are removed and there is a risk of bleeding and formation of a hematoma, a collection of blood at the biopsy site. The risk, however, appears to be less than 1 percent of patients.

* An occasional patient has significant discomfort, which can be readily controlled by non-prescription pain medication.

* Infection can occur whenever the skin is penetrated, but the chance of infection requiring antibiotic therapy is less than one in 1,000.

* Doing a biopsy of tissue deep in the breast carries a slight risk that the needle will pass through the chest wall, allowing air around the lung that could collapse a lung. This is a rare occurrence.