With one in every eight women diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives, experts agree that early detection and treatment is key.
“One of the biggest goals when it comes to breast cancer detection is to try and discover those cancers before they cause any problems,” Dr. Nicole Saphier, Fox News medical contributor, told Fox News Digital during an on-camera conversation.
The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
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“The most common is a palpable mass,” Saphier confirmed.
“People come in with a lump. Sometimes it can be something benign, like a cyst, but it can also be a cancer.”
Not all warning signs are obvious, however.
“It’s not just about feeling a lump,” Saphier said. “There are some other signs that breast cancer can present.”
Studies have shown that nipple discharge is a symptom for 3% to 9% of breast cancer patients.
In particular, discharge containing blood can be a warning sign, according to Saphier.
“Some women … see a little bit of blood in their bra,” she said. “This can be a sign of cancer cells in the duct.”
Some women experience itching of the skin, Saphier said, whether it’s the skin of the breast or just the nipple itself.
“This could be an indicator of an inflammatory process inside the breast,” she warned.
Another early sign of breast cancer is swelling or lumps in the lymph nodes, the doctor noted.
They may show up in the breast itself, in the armpit or in the axilla, the space under the shoulder joint where the arm connects to the shoulder.
“That can mean not only is there a cancer in the breast, but it has now traveled to the lymph nodes,” Saphier said.
This is one of the most common signs of inflammatory breast cancer, which is a “rare and aggressive type of invasive breast cancer in which cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin,” according to ACS.
“This is a different cancer in the sense that it doesn’t present as a mass,” Saphier told Fox News Digital.
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People sometimes get treated for weeks or even months for what they think is a skin condition or an allergic reaction when it’s actually an infection, the doctor said.
“Sometimes what’s manifesting in the skin is because of something a little bit more nefarious going on underneath,” she warned.
Saphier said she often sees patients who have been on steroids or antibiotics, but have never had a biopsy of the skin.
“Until you do that biopsy … you won’t necessarily know that it’s an inflammatory cancer that’s causing these issues,” she said. “And unfortunately, this can lead to a later diagnosis.”
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The main takeaway, Saphier said, is to pay attention to your body and take action if you notice any changes.
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“You know your body better than anybody else,” she said.
“If there’s a change, you should always seek medical guidance and insist on imaging to make sure that there’s nothing going on inside.”
