A change in the shape or size of a breast



A lump or thickening in the breast

Dimpling in the skin

A change in the shape of the nipples, particularly when it turns in.

A discharge of blood from the nipples

A rash round the nipple

A swelling or lump in the arm pit

Like a breast lump, blood discharge and rash on the nipples, swelling or lump in the arm pit may not necessarily be cancer but if this is new to you you need to visit a doctor as soon as possible. It might be nothing at all or the worst case scenario it is cancer but remember your giving the doctor a fair chance of treating you.

There is a inflammatory breast cancer which can have some different symptoms. The whole breast can look red and inflamed and can be very sore, The skin sometimes looks like a orange peel.

Another rare type of cancer is when a rash shows up around the nipple it is called Paget's disease. Its a red scaly rash and can be itchy, it is sometimes mistaken for eczema.

If you see any spots a lump See your doctor straight away. If you notice anything unusual about your breast have it examined. Even though most breast lumps are beginning, they need to be checked to rule out cancer.

Your doctor will examine you and if necessary, send you to a specialist breast clinic for further checks. At the clinic, they will be able to see on your mammogram or ultrasound if the lump is a fluid-filled cyst or a solid lump.

If it is a cyst, they may get rid of it by draining it through a fine needle. If it is a solid lump, they will stick a very fine needle into it and take a tissue sample to test for cancer cells.

Some women prefer to have benign lumps removed to relieve their worry. They may be concerned that they will confuse them with any other lumps they may develop in the future. But if you and your doctor are confident that the lump is benign, you do not even have to have it removed if you do not want to. Benign lumps don't turn into cancer.

If your lump is a cancer, the earlier the treatment for breast cancer, the better your chance of cure.