Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsChanges in the Breast TissueChanges in the Breast’s SkinChanges in the NippleSwollen Lymph NodesBreast PainSymptoms in Black WomenWhen to See a ProviderNext in Breast Cancer GuideCauses and Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Changes in the Breast Tissue

Changes in the Breast’s Skin

Changes in the Nipple

Swollen Lymph Nodes

Breast Pain

Symptoms in Black Women

When to See a Provider

Next in Breast Cancer Guide

Do you know the breast cancer signs you should look for? There are a variety of signs of breast cancer to be aware of, including:

This article discusses signs of breast cancer, the differences and similarities in signs among Black women, when to see a provider, and the benefits of early breast cancer care.

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoVerywell / Jessica Olah

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.

Rare Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Verywell / Jessica Olah

Lumps, breasts that have changed size or shape, and swelling in breast tissue are all common symptoms of breast cancer. It is also possible for these breast changes to be completely benign.

Verywell / Gary Ferster

symptoms of breast cancer

Lumps

Most women experience lumps in their breast tissue at some time or another, usually related to the hormonal shifts that occur during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.Still, lumps can also be a sign of breast cancer.

Knowing your breasts is an important way for you to be able to detect changes and potentially discover new lumps.

If you have a history of cysts,mastitis, or fibrosis, you may feel compelled to take a wait-and-see approach, but the following changes to your lump may be particularly concerning and should prompt you to see a healthcare provider:

Change In Size or Shape

Uneven breasts and changes in breast size are normal. Changes in the size or shape of breasts can sometimes be indicative of underlying breast health concerns, including the possibility of breast cancer. It’s important to be aware of such changes and consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation. Here are some potential signs to be mindful of:

Swelling

Swelling, or breast edema, might also occur as a side effect of breast cancer treatment.If you have recently undergone treatment for breast cancer and notice swelling, ask your care team if swelling might be a side effect of treatment.

Changes in the skin of the breasts might be a sign of breast cancer. Look for:

What Is a Mammogram?

Nipple changes can serve as important indicators of potential breast health issues, including the presence of breast cancer. It’s crucial to pay attention to any alterations in the appearance or behavior of the nipples and seek medical evaluation if needed. These are key nipple changes that may be associated with breast cancer:

Swollenlymph nodescan be a sign of breast cancer, although cancer is not the only reason lymph nodes can feel swollen. Look for:

Breast pain, also known asmastalgia, is a common symptom in women of reproductive age. Often, breast pain is associated with fluctuating hormones during the menstrual cycle or as a side effect of breastfeeding.Most breast pain is related to something other than cancer. However, there are some cases to be aware of:

Risk factors for breast cancer include:People assigned female at birthGenetic factorsFamily history of breast cancerDense breast tissueEarly onset of menstruationLifestyle factors like drinking alcohol, obesity, and physical inactivity

Risk factors for breast cancer include:

Breast Cancer Symptoms and Black Women

While Black and White women have the same symptoms, Black women are more likely to havetriple-negativeandinflammatory breast cancer, which may present with:

Julie Bang / Verywell

symptoms of breast cancer in black women

Black womenare also more likely to have aggressive tumor features, such as more distant vs. localized disease, large tumor size, and more highly mutated cells, highlighting the need for inclusive research that looks into differences in tumor biology among races and ethnicities.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Symptoms and Black WomenBlack women are 70% more likely to developIBCthan White women. If you experience the below symptoms in your breasts, contact a healthcare provider immediately to prevent potentially life-threatening complications:Painful swellingRedness on at least one-third of the breastBreast tissue that is warm to the touch

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Symptoms and Black Women

Black women are 70% more likely to developIBCthan White women. If you experience the below symptoms in your breasts, contact a healthcare provider immediately to prevent potentially life-threatening complications:Painful swellingRedness on at least one-third of the breastBreast tissue that is warm to the touch

Black women are 70% more likely to developIBCthan White women. If you experience the below symptoms in your breasts, contact a healthcare provider immediately to prevent potentially life-threatening complications:

If you display any of the above-mentioned potential signs of breast cancer, see a healthcare provider to determine whether your symptoms may be attributed to something more common, or if you should undergo testing such as a mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, or other testing.

Breast Cancer Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.

Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.

Doctor Discussion Guide Woman

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Benefits of Early Care

Early detection and care for breast cancer offer several significant benefits, greatly impactingtreatmentoutcomes and overall survival rates. Prompt intervention allows for:

Summary

Knowing the signs of breast cancer empowers people to take charge of their breast health. Key indicators of breast cancer might include lumps, changes in breast size or shape, nipple changes, swollen lymph nodes, skin alterations, and breast pain. While these symptoms are reasons to consult a healthcare professional, there are other reasons someone might display these symptoms that are not cancer-related.

Black women have an increased risk of more aggressive forms of cancer with pain, changes in breast size or color, dimpled skin, a hard painless lump, or inflamed breasts.

Early breast cancer detection can significantly improve outcomes. If you have any breast symptoms that are concerning, see a healthcare provider.

Causes and Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute.Breast health: follow-up after an abnormal mammogram.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of breast cancer.Richardson T, Cottier F.An unexpected diagnosis of breast malignancy.Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2017;99(6):e180-e182. doi:10.1308/rcsann.2017.0100Gupta SS, Mayrovitz HN.The breast edema enigma: features, diagnosis, treatment, and recommendations.Cureus. 2022;14(4):e23797. doi:10.7759/cureus.23797Akram M, Iqbal M, Daniyal M, Khan AU.Awareness and current knowledge of breast cancer.Biol Res. 2017;50:33. doi:10.1186/s40659-017-0140-9American Cancer Society.Lymph nodes and cancer.Hubbard TJ, Sharma A, Ferguson DJ.Breast pain: assessment, management, and referral criteria.Br J Gen Pract.2020;70(697):419-420. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X712133Australian Menopause Centre.Breast pain & tenderness.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Breast cancer risk factors.Williams DR, Mohammed SA, Shields AE.Understanding and effectively addressing breast cancer in African American women: unpacking the social context.Cancer. 2016;122(14):2138-2149. doi:10.1002/cncr.29935Yedjou CG, Sims JN, Miele L, et al.Health and racial disparity in breast cancer.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1152:31-49.Mamouch F, Berrada N, Aoullay Z, El Khanoussi B, Errihani H.Inflammatory breast cancer: a literature review.World J Oncol. 2018;9(5-6):129-135. doi:10.14740/wjon1161Grimm LJ, Avery CS, Hendrick E, Baker JA.Benefits and risks of mammography screening in women ages 40 to 49 years.J Prim Care Community Health. 2022;13:21501327211058320. doi:10.1177/21501327211058322

13 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute.Breast health: follow-up after an abnormal mammogram.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of breast cancer.Richardson T, Cottier F.An unexpected diagnosis of breast malignancy.Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2017;99(6):e180-e182. doi:10.1308/rcsann.2017.0100Gupta SS, Mayrovitz HN.The breast edema enigma: features, diagnosis, treatment, and recommendations.Cureus. 2022;14(4):e23797. doi:10.7759/cureus.23797Akram M, Iqbal M, Daniyal M, Khan AU.Awareness and current knowledge of breast cancer.Biol Res. 2017;50:33. doi:10.1186/s40659-017-0140-9American Cancer Society.Lymph nodes and cancer.Hubbard TJ, Sharma A, Ferguson DJ.Breast pain: assessment, management, and referral criteria.Br J Gen Pract.2020;70(697):419-420. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X712133Australian Menopause Centre.Breast pain & tenderness.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Breast cancer risk factors.Williams DR, Mohammed SA, Shields AE.Understanding and effectively addressing breast cancer in African American women: unpacking the social context.Cancer. 2016;122(14):2138-2149. doi:10.1002/cncr.29935Yedjou CG, Sims JN, Miele L, et al.Health and racial disparity in breast cancer.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1152:31-49.Mamouch F, Berrada N, Aoullay Z, El Khanoussi B, Errihani H.Inflammatory breast cancer: a literature review.World J Oncol. 2018;9(5-6):129-135. doi:10.14740/wjon1161Grimm LJ, Avery CS, Hendrick E, Baker JA.Benefits and risks of mammography screening in women ages 40 to 49 years.J Prim Care Community Health. 2022;13:21501327211058320. doi:10.1177/21501327211058322

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute.Breast health: follow-up after an abnormal mammogram.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of breast cancer.Richardson T, Cottier F.An unexpected diagnosis of breast malignancy.Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2017;99(6):e180-e182. doi:10.1308/rcsann.2017.0100Gupta SS, Mayrovitz HN.The breast edema enigma: features, diagnosis, treatment, and recommendations.Cureus. 2022;14(4):e23797. doi:10.7759/cureus.23797Akram M, Iqbal M, Daniyal M, Khan AU.Awareness and current knowledge of breast cancer.Biol Res. 2017;50:33. doi:10.1186/s40659-017-0140-9American Cancer Society.Lymph nodes and cancer.Hubbard TJ, Sharma A, Ferguson DJ.Breast pain: assessment, management, and referral criteria.Br J Gen Pract.2020;70(697):419-420. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X712133Australian Menopause Centre.Breast pain & tenderness.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Breast cancer risk factors.Williams DR, Mohammed SA, Shields AE.Understanding and effectively addressing breast cancer in African American women: unpacking the social context.Cancer. 2016;122(14):2138-2149. doi:10.1002/cncr.29935Yedjou CG, Sims JN, Miele L, et al.Health and racial disparity in breast cancer.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1152:31-49.Mamouch F, Berrada N, Aoullay Z, El Khanoussi B, Errihani H.Inflammatory breast cancer: a literature review.World J Oncol. 2018;9(5-6):129-135. doi:10.14740/wjon1161Grimm LJ, Avery CS, Hendrick E, Baker JA.Benefits and risks of mammography screening in women ages 40 to 49 years.J Prim Care Community Health. 2022;13:21501327211058320. doi:10.1177/21501327211058322

National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute.Breast health: follow-up after an abnormal mammogram.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of breast cancer.

Richardson T, Cottier F.An unexpected diagnosis of breast malignancy.Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2017;99(6):e180-e182. doi:10.1308/rcsann.2017.0100

Gupta SS, Mayrovitz HN.The breast edema enigma: features, diagnosis, treatment, and recommendations.Cureus. 2022;14(4):e23797. doi:10.7759/cureus.23797

Akram M, Iqbal M, Daniyal M, Khan AU.Awareness and current knowledge of breast cancer.Biol Res. 2017;50:33. doi:10.1186/s40659-017-0140-9

American Cancer Society.Lymph nodes and cancer.

Hubbard TJ, Sharma A, Ferguson DJ.Breast pain: assessment, management, and referral criteria.Br J Gen Pract.2020;70(697):419-420. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X712133

Australian Menopause Centre.Breast pain & tenderness.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Breast cancer risk factors.

Williams DR, Mohammed SA, Shields AE.Understanding and effectively addressing breast cancer in African American women: unpacking the social context.Cancer. 2016;122(14):2138-2149. doi:10.1002/cncr.29935

Yedjou CG, Sims JN, Miele L, et al.Health and racial disparity in breast cancer.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1152:31-49.

Mamouch F, Berrada N, Aoullay Z, El Khanoussi B, Errihani H.Inflammatory breast cancer: a literature review.World J Oncol. 2018;9(5-6):129-135. doi:10.14740/wjon1161

Grimm LJ, Avery CS, Hendrick E, Baker JA.Benefits and risks of mammography screening in women ages 40 to 49 years.J Prim Care Community Health. 2022;13:21501327211058320. doi:10.1177/21501327211058322

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