The statistics are staggering; one in eight women in the United States has either had or will have breast cancer during her lifetime. The National Breast Cancer Foundation predicts that over two-hundred thousand women and nearly two-thousand men will be diagnosed this year alone. And while it continues its reign as the second leading cause of death in women, it also continues to be highly responsive to early treatment.

In fact, early detection and treatment can significantly increase a patient's chance for recovery; the survival rate reaches nearly 95% for those who are treated quickly and proactively. But in order to increase your chance for detection - and subsequently receive this imperative treatment - every woman must be familiar with the symptoms.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with fifty percent of cases being diagnosed well into a woman's fifties. Subsequently, doctors and researchers recommend a lifetime of screenings that can help identify the early stages. Of course, in combination with medical screenings should be a comprehensive routine of breast self-examination to check for any abnormalities. In line with this self awareness should be a thorough knowledge of symptoms so that women can recognize the signs and be checked and treated early.

If early cancer is detected by the discovery of a lump in the breast, this is usually far in advance of any symptoms. This is why it is so important to conduct self-examination and be examined by a doctor during your routine gynecological exam. But cancer that continues to go unnoticed will often eventually begin to produce symptoms.

Aside from the finding of a lump in the breast, under the armpit, or above the collarbone, some of the more common symptoms include: nipple discharge, change in the shape of the breast, nipple inversion that did not exist previously, and redness, rash, or textural changes in the skin of the breast. Keep in mind, that all of these symptoms can also be attributed to a number of other disorders; it is absolutely imperative to check all breast changes or abnormalities with your doctor.

Breast cancer symptoms vary from woman to woman. Not every woman experiences every symptom. And when symptoms are experienced, the level and frequency with which they are experienced vary significantly depending on the cancer and the woman. Ultimately, it is most important that women know their own bodies and listen to the messages their bodies are sending them. Never let a doctor brush you aside with a promise that nothing is wrong if you feel differently. No one knows your body better than you do.

A diagnosis of breast cancer can sometimes feel like the end of the world. But the truth is, that in this day and age of continued medical and technological advancement, the odds of beating it are actually quite good if you are educated and involved in protecting your own health. Learn to recognize breast cancer symptoms and be an advocate for your own body.