Patient's question:
Nowadays, many women suffer from breast diseases. I have a female friend who has breast cancer and it is currently in the late stage. I want to ask how to do breast self-examinations at home. If it is breast cancer, what methods can be used to detect it through self-examination?Doctor's answer:
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. Women aged 40-50 are in the high-risk stage for breast cancer. The symptoms of breast cancer vary depending on the early or late stage of the disease and different pathological types. In the early stages of breast cancer, in addition to lumps, most patients do not experience breast pain or visible changes. When the disease progresses to a certain extent, the following breast cancer symptoms may appear:Lumps: The discovery of breast lumps is often the primary reason for patients seeking medical attention. This is the main symptom of breast cancer. Most lumps are irregularly spherical or oval-shaped, with unclear boundaries, and some may also appear flat, nodular, or irregular in shape. Early lumps can be moved, while late-stage lumps become fixed. The cure rate for early breast cancer can reach 80%-90%.
Skin over the lump: As breast cancer progresses, it can invade the skin, causing indentations, a sign known as the "divot sign." The skin may thicken and swell, forming "orange peel-like edema." In advanced stages, the skin over the lump may ulcerate, bleed easily, emit a foul odor, and take a long time to heal.
Nipple discharge: A small number of patients may experience bloody or serous fluid discharge from the nipple, which is an early sign of intraductal cancer.
Nipple changes: As the lump grows, it can deform the breast, causing the nipple to retract or invert, and lift higher than the opposite side.
Pain: Breast cancer is generally painless or only causes mild breast pain. Approximately one-third of patients experience varying degrees of dull or sharp pain.
Metastasis: Breast cancer can spread to distant organs such as the lungs, liver, bones, and brain when it reaches a certain stage.
Breast cancer is a major malignant tumor that threatens women's health. Each year, over one million women worldwide suffer from breast cancer. Men can also develop breast cancer, but the chance of men getting breast cancer is 100 times lower than that of women.