If you notice changes in your breasts and know the symptoms of breast cancer, you may be able to spot it at an early stage. In this article, we discuss five signs of breast cancer that will help people get the right treatment as soon as possible.

Thickening Area

Not every breast lump is a sign of breast cancer. However, if you feel tightness in your skin and there is a lump in your breast that does not go away or grows larger, it could be breast cancer.

Thickening can occur deep inside the skin or breast and is considered one of the five most common symptoms of breast cancer. This symptom can be caused by cancer cells blocking blood circulation to the blood vessels or lymph fluid to the lymph nodes. A tumor growing close to the surface of the skin can be another reason for thickening of the skin.

Dimple

Sometimes, it is normal to have dimples or indentations in the breasts due to tight clothing. However, if the dimple does not go away over time, it can be one of the five most common signs of breast cancer. It is usually caused by a tumor or lump in the breast pulling the skin inwards and creating an indentation on the surface.

Redness or Warmth Infection

This type of skin infection is common in women who are breastfeeding and can be easily treated with the help of antibiotics. However, if antibiotics and other treatments don't improve, it could be a sign of breast cancer. In this case, cancer cells block the flow of lymph fluid in the breast, causing it to swell and become red.

This infection can cause your breast to feel warm and the skin to become inflamed.

Unexpected Nipple Discharge

Nipple discharge is common and is often associated with a breast infection, cysts, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. This condition is harmless unless the discharge occurs without squeezing the nipple or only comes from one breast and not the other. Sometimes bloody nipple discharge can be an early sign of breast cancer.

New Shape or Size

It is very common for one breast to be different from the other in terms of shape and size. Sometimes, breastfeeding can be the reason for these changes. However, if the size or shape of one breast changes, or it flattens, swells or droops all of a sudden, and this change continues for a long time, then it’s time to seek the help of a physician as this could be a sign of breast cancer.