Early-stage breast cancer symptoms

Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
Updated on September 26, 2024
00:00
00:00

Early-stage breast cancer may exhibit several symptoms. The first is the presence of breast lumps. The second symptom might be nipple discharge, which can be serous, watery, or milky in nature. The third symptom might involve changes in the skin over the breast tumor, including skin adhesion, such as dimpling, engorgement of superficial veins, skin reddening, localized increase in temperature, and an orange-peel texture. The fourth symptom includes abnormalities of the nipple and areola, potentially featuring nipple retraction, erosion of the nipple, thickening of the nipple epithelium, and reddening. The fifth symptom could be breast pain.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cui Yu Rong
Breast Surgery
39sec home-news-image

Does breast cancer cause hair loss in the early stages?

Breast cancer generally does not directly cause hair loss. In some cases, if it is breast cancer, it may cause anxiety, poor rest, and sleep quality, which might lead to relatively noticeable hair loss. However, hair loss associated with breast cancer mainly occurs during chemotherapy, as it is a common side effect of the treatment. Therefore, apart from chemotherapy, the relationship between breast cancer itself and hair loss is not particularly significant. While some people may experience noticeable hair loss, most do not have obvious hair loss.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
1min 10sec home-news-image

Does breast cancer have a genetic component?

Breast cancer is somewhat related to genetics and has a certain familial predisposition. It manifests as a higher incidence rate in relatives with breast cancer, especially in closer blood relations, and daughters may develop the disease at an earlier age than their mothers. There is also a higher risk of bilateral occurrence and a tendency for other malignant tumors to develop in different parts of the body. Additionally, if a family has at least two sisters with breast cancer and their mother is not afflicted by the disease, the susceptibility of this family is about three times higher than average, commonly occurring after menopause, and usually affecting one side. Of course, the influence of human genetic factors on the development of breast cancer is multifaceted. The occurrence of breast cancer is affected not only by genetic factors but also by many other factors, which have a cumulative effect of risks. It is recommended that individuals from families with a history of breast cancer should undergo regular screening, improve their lifestyle, and avoid the accumulation of risk factors, which can also enable earlier detection and treatment of breast cancer that has already developed.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
42sec home-news-image

early symptoms of breast cancer

60% of early-stage breast cancer presents as a lump, most commonly in the upper outer quadrant. The primary symptoms include a painless, solitary, small lump that is hard, uneven in surface, irregular in shape, and not clearly demarcated from surrounding tissues. The lump is hard to move within the breast, indicating adhesion to the surrounding tissue. The skin over the lump may show signs of redness, swelling, indentation, orange peel-like texture, dimpling, and ulceration. Sometimes, there may also be nipple discharge, typically bloody, and early-stage enlargement of the axillary lymph nodes can occur.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
50sec home-news-image

Breast cancer is a disease.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor of the breast that can occur in both women and men, though it is more commonly seen in women. Breast cancer arises when breast epithelial cells undergo genetic mutations under the influence of various carcinogenic factors, losing the characteristics of normal cells. Consequently, the structural organization of breast cancer tissue is disrupted, with loose cell connections, allowing cancer cells to easily detach and spread throughout the body via pathways such as blood or lymphatic fluid, leading to metastases in the lungs, brain, bones, etc. Therefore, this disease directly affects patient survival outcomes and should be taken seriously by everyone.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
58sec home-news-image

How is breast cancer treated?

For the comprehensive treatment of malignant (breast cancer), it needs to be specifically addressed based on case analysis, considering the patient's physical condition, economic factors, and other circumstances. There isn't a one-size-fits-all treatment plan suitable for everyone, as each case requires specific analysis. The treatment options for breast cancer include, firstly, surgery, which can be either a mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery, depending on lymph node metastasis and pathological staging. The second option includes radiation therapy, the third is endocrine therapy, the fourth is chemotherapy, the fifth is targeted therapy, and the sixth and subsequent options may include immunotherapy.