Breast cancer is a malignant condition characterized by the uncontrollable and abnormal growth of a group of cancerous cells. The most number of cancer cases among women in the country are of this type, second only to skin cancer. One should be aware of the early warning signs of breast cancer to manage the disease effectively.

Symptoms of breast cancer
The following are some of the early warning signs of breast cancer and are classified according to the type of breast cancer:

General

• Redness, inflammation, and pitting of the skin on one or both breasts
• Thickening of the skin, nodes, or an odd lump on one or both breasts, and these may also appear inside the breast
• Peeling and flaking of the skin on the nipple
• A breast feeling hard, tender, or warm to the touch
• Increase in breast size or changes in the shape of the breast over a short period of time
• Changes in the color of a breast
• Itchiness and irritation of the breast skin
• General pain on one or both breasts
• Nipple discharge (apart from milk)
• Changes in terms of the appearance of one or both the nipples

Invasive breast cancer
Invasive breast cancer is the presence of cancerous cells in the milk ducts that eventually break out into the nearby tissues of the breast. The early warning signs of breast cancer in this case are:

• An abnormal mass in the breast
• Breast or nipple pain
• Dimpling or inflammation of all or part of one or both breasts
• Skin irritation
• Scaly, thickened, and red appearance of the breast or nipple
• Nipple discharge
• Inflammation of the underarm lymph nodes
• Nipple retraction

Ductal carcinoma
Ductal carcinoma is the type of breast cancer in which the disease occurs in the lining of the milk ducts. There are no specific symptoms for ductal carcinoma, and the warning signs fall under the general category.

Lobular carcinoma
This type of breast cancer occurs in the lobules of the breast and has no particular symptoms unique to its type.

Inflammatory breast cancer
The symptoms are:

• Red, itchy, and swollen breasts that are sensitive to touch
• Heaviness, burning, and pain in the breast
• Inverted nipples
• Swollen lymph nodes above the collarbone and under the arm
• Unresolved symptoms even after an antibiotic course

Metastatic breast cancer

• If the affected part is the breast wall, the symptoms will most probably include pain, nipple discharge, and/or a lump
• If the bones are affected, the signs are pain, fractures, constipation, and/or decreased alertness.
• If the lungs are affected, symptoms include breathlessness, coughing, and chest wall pain.
• If the liver is affected, the symptoms include fatigue, nausea, increase in abdominal girth, swollen feet and hands, and yellowing of the skin.
• If the brain and spinal cord are affected, symptoms include confusion, memory loss, headache, difficulty talking, seizures, and blurred vision.