Breast Cancer

Women with early breast cancer usually do not feel pain or experience any symptoms at all. As the cancer grows, however, it can cause the following changes:

• A lump or thickening in or near the breast or under the arm
• A change in the size or shape of the breast
• Nipple discharge or nipple tenderness; the nipple may also be inverted, or pulled back into the breast
• Ridges or pitting of the breast; the skin may look like the skin of an orange
• A change in the way the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels

A woman should see her doctor if she experiences any of these symptoms. They may not be cancer, but it is important to make sure.

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