What does a breast cancer lump feel like?
Breast cancer is the second most common cancers in women. In India, the cases of breast cancer are rising at an alarming rate. The high incidence rates call for an increase in awareness. Similar to other cancers, breast cancer can also be treated most effectively if it is detected early. One of the ways to detect breast cancer early is by feeling the breast for lumps. In this article, Dr Rohan Khandelwal, a leading breast cancer specialist in Gurgaon explains how a breast lump feels like.
You can consult Dr Rohan Khandelwal, the best breast cancer specialist in Gurgaon at the CK Birla Hospital.
What is a breast lump and how is it caused?
Cancer cells grow and spread by multiplying themselves abnormally. In a woman’s breast, cancer cells can localise and collect atypically taking the form of a lump, bulge or swelling.
You should note that all lumps felt in the breast are not cancerous. There are several other underlying health concerns that can cause breast lumps that may be unrelated to cancer.
However, only a verified medical expert can tell the difference after a thorough diagnosis.
How are breast cancer lumps detected?
Most probably, the first time you notice a breast cancer lump would be during your routine self-exam. A breast self-exam is a process of analysing your breasts for changes in shape, appearance or size. It is a simple technique in which you have to stand in front of a mirror and manually screen your breasts.
However, self-exams are not enough for recognising breast cancers. Sometimes the lumps are small in size and are likely missed. It is also possible to misinterpret a breast cancer lump for a normal bulge of tissues.
In such cases where breast cancer lumps are overlooked, doctors indicate screening tests for diagnosis. It is advised that you go for routine screenings and clinical breast exam for early detection of breast cancer. Book an appointment with Dr Rohan Khandelwal, the best breast cancer specialist in Gurgaon to know more about breast cancer screening tests.
In order to identify a breast cancer lump correctly, it is important to understand what it is like.
What does a breast cancer lump feel like?
Cancer affects every woman uniquely. It is only evident that breast cancer lumps also feel different to each person. However, there are certain patterns that you should look out for while scanning your breasts for a cancer lump.
Breast cancer lumps:
- Feel like a bulge of hard mass
- Are painless on touching
- Does not have regular edges
- Cannot move when pushed
- Mostly appear on the upper right portion of the breasts
- Grows in size gradually
It is not necessary that all breast lumps have all of the above-given characteristics. It is possible to find a breast cancer lump that is soft on touch. These bulges can also appear almost anywhere on the breast. Some patients also complain of painful breast cancer lumps.
Since there are no fixed criteria to decide what exactly defines a breast cancer lump, it is important to get checked for any lump. Your healthcare provider may indicate appropriate screenings such as mammograms, breast ultrasound and more to confirm the diagnosis of a breast cancer lump.
Who is more likely to have breast cancer lumps?
While any woman, irrespective of age, can be affected by breast cancer, there are some people who have a high predisposition than others. If you know your risk factors of developing breast cancer, you can seek the right clinical help if and when you discover a lump in your breast.
Risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Age over 55 years
- Family history of the disease
- Genetics
- Obesity
- Dense breast tissues
- Late menopause
- Starting menstruation early
Learn more about breast cancer from Dr Rohan Khandelwal, a leading breast cancer specialist in Gurgaon.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/what-does-breast-cancer-feel-like#risk-factors
