Symptoms and Complications
Nine out of ten women are the first to notice a lump or mass in their breast. It usually isn't painful, but can cause an unusual sensation in the area where the lump is. When a tumor grows in the milk ducts, bleeding can occur from the nipple. The size or shape of the breast may change. As well, the nipple might draw in, or some of the skin will pull in causing what looks like a dimple to appear. While these might be early signs of breast cancer, they might also indicate another non-cancerous disease. In fact, about 8 out of 10 breast growths are non-cancerous. However, a doctor should be consulted to determine the exact cause of the lump.
The most serious complication of breast cancer is metastasis.
That's when some cells from a tumor break off and move to other areas of the
body - through either the blood or the lymphatic vessels - invading the tissue
at new, possibly distant sites. When breast cancer cells metastasize, it's most
commonly to the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, bones, brain, and skin. It can take
years - even after the breast tumor is diagnosed and treated - before cancer
that has spread from the original tumor appears. Once metastatic tumors are
discovered, chances are that the cancer has spread to other locations as well,
even if they remain undetected.