Symptoms & Risk Factors
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Early breast cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms. But as the tumor grows, it can change how the breast looks or feels.
Common symptoms of breast cancer include:
- A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
- A change in the size or shape of the breast
- Dimpling or puckering in the skin of the breast
- A nipple turned inward into the breast
- Discharge (fluid) from the nipple, especially if it’s bloody
- Scaly, red or swollen skin on the breast, nipple or areola (the dark area of skin at the center of the breast)
You should see your healthcare provider about any symptom that does not go away. Most of the time, these symptoms are not caused by cancer. But if you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor so that breast cancer can be ruled out.
Risk Factors
No one knows the exact cause of breast cancer, or why one woman develops breast cancer and another doesn’t. However, there are certain factors that increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Some risk factors (such as drinking alcohol) can be avoided. But most risk factors (such as having a family history of breast cancer) can’t be avoided.
Having a risk factor or factors does not mean that an individual woman will get breast cancer. Most women who have risk factors never develop breast cancer. But knowing your risk factors can help you make the best decisions for your long-term health.
Demographic Factors
- Age: Your chances of getting breast cancer increase as you get older. Fewer than 5 percent of breast cancer patients are under the age of 40. The American Cancer Society recommends that women between ages 40-45 talk to their doctors about mammography and begin annual screening by age 45.
- Race: In the United States, breast cancer is diagnosed more often in white women than in African American/black, Hispanic/Latina, Asian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native women.
Breast Health History
- Having breast cancer in one breast increases your risk of getting cancer in your other breast.
- Having certain types of abnormal breast cells increases the risk of invasive breast cancer.
Your Family Health History
- Your risk of breast cancer is higher if your mother, father, sister or daughter had breast cancer.
- The risk is even higher if your family member had breast cancer before age 50.
- Having other relatives with breast cancer or ovarian cancer also may increase your risk.
Reproductive and Menstrual History
- Having children late in life, or never having children, can increase your breast cancer risk.
- Having your first menstrual period before age 12, or going through menopause after 55, can increase your risk.
- Taking menopausal hormone therapy for many years can increase your risk of breast cancer.
Genetic Factors
- Gene Changes: Changes in certain genes found in the breast, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, substantially increase the risk of breast cancer.
- Breast Density: If your mammograms show a larger area of dense (non-fatty) tissue than the mammograms of women of the same age, you are at increased risk of breast cancer.
Lifestyle Factors
- Being overweight or obese: The chance of getting breast cancer after menopause is higher in women who are overweight or obese.
- Not being physically active: Women who are physically inactive throughout life may have a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Drinking alcohol: Studies suggest that the more alcohol a woman drinks, the greater her risk of breast cancer.
For more information about Holy Cross Health's breast cancer services, call 855-HCH-HOPE.