Cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer can spread through the bloodstream and invade nearby tissues. It can spread into the lymphatic system into other parts of one’s body. There are numerous types of cancer. Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs is carcinoma. Leukemia is a form of cancer that begins in blood forming tissue such as bone marrow and will cause a large number of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood stream. Multiple myeloma and lymphoma cancers start in the cells of the immune system. Cancer that begins in the bone, cartilage, fat, blood vessels, or muscle is sarcoma. Each year in America, 211,000 women learn they have breast cancer. Other than skin cancer breast cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women is this country. Common symptoms of breast cancer include a change in how the breast or nipple feels and a change in how the breast or nipple looks.
If there are changes in how the nipple or breast feels, possibly a thickening or lump in or around the breast or underarm area, such a change can be a symptom of breast cancer. So can tenderness in the nipple.
Changes in how the nipple or breast looks may be the nipple turning inward into the breast. Another change could be a different shape or size of breast. Still other changes that might occur in the breast, nipple, or areola may be red, scaly or swollen skin. The skin may have ridges or pitting and look like the skin of an orange.
Still, another sign that there could be breast cancer is a nipple discharge. The nipple may discharge a fluid if there is breast cancer.
In early stages breast cancer usually does not cause pain. If a woman is having pain or other symptoms that do not go away she should see her health care provider. It is likely the symptoms are not due to breast cancer. Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. If a woman does have these symptoms she should tell her doctor. Any problems that might exist can be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.