Weather Alert: A major winter storm is likely to impact the Philadelphia region this weekend into Monday. Temple Health remains open, though some appointments or services may be adjusted. Patients will be contacted directly if their visit is affected. Please check Foxchase.org for updates and monitor myTempleHealth for changes to scheduled appointments.
Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms
What Are Common Symptoms of Breast Cancer?
Possible symptoms include:
- A new lump or mass
- Irritated or dimpled breast skin
- Breast or nipple pain
- A nipple that points inward
- Red, scaly or thickening nipple or breast skin
- Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
Breast Lumps
Discovering an unusual growth or mass immediately brings worries of breast cancer.
Breast lumps aren’t unusual. Palpable lumps, or lumps that you or your doctor can feel, are very common, particularly in premenopausal women.
There are many different kinds of breast lumps, but most of these lumps have one thing in common: They’re usually not cancerous tumors. The majority of lumps turn out to be harmless, or benign, masses or growths. These include:
- Soft, fluid-filled lumps that can feel tender, especially before your period
- Rubbery lumps that move around under the skin and are usually painless
- Fibrocystic changes—painful, lumpy breasts that often get worse before your period
Benign lumps can also develop from fatty tissue deposits or from breastfeeding, when sacs filled with milk form cysts. You can even get a lump from an injury, such as when your breast gets bruised or after breast surgery.