Initially, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. A lump may be too small for you to feel or to cause any unusual changes you can notice on your own. Often, an abnormal area turns up on a screening mammogram (x-ray of the breast), which leads to further testing.

In some cases, however, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft, and rounded. So it’s important to have anything unusual checked by your doctor.

According to the American Cancer Society, any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer:

•swelling of all or part of the breast
•skin irritation or dimpling
•breast pain
•nipple pain or the nipple turning inward

•redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
•a nipple discharge other than breast milk
•a lump in the underarm area

These changes also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous, such as an infection or a cyst. It’s important to get any breast changes checked out promptly by a doctor.

Screening and Testing

There’s a whole world of testing that goes along with taking care of your breasts. Although medical tests can be nerve-wracking — especially when it comes to waiting for results — they are essential in keeping your breasts healthy and getting you proper care if you develop breast cancer.

In this section, you’ll learn about the different types of breast cancer tests, such as mammogram, breast MRI, and biopsy. You can learn about getting your test results and keeping track of your medical records. Also featured are the pros and cons of genetic testing and what those results might mean for you.

Breast Cancer Tests: Screening, Diagnosis, and Monitoring
Whether you’ve never had breast cancer and want to increase your odds of early detection, you’ve recently been diagnosed, or you are in the midst of treatment and follow-up, you know that breast cancer and medical tests go hand in hand.

Most breast-cancer-related tests fall into one or more of the following categories:
•Screening tests:

Screening tests (such as yearly mammograms) are given routinely to people who appear to be healthy and are not suspected of having breast cancer. Their purpose is to find breast cancer early, before any symptoms can develop and the cancer usually is easier to treat.

•Diagnostic tests:

Diagnostic tests (such as biopsy) are given to people who are suspected of having breast cancer, either because of symptoms they may be experiencing or a screening test result. These tests are used to determine whether or not breast cancer is present and, if so, whether or not it has traveled outside the breast. Diagnostic tests also are used to gather more information about the cancer to guide decisions about treatment.

•Monitoring tests:

Once breast cancer is diagnosed, many tests are used during and after treatment to monitor how well therapies are working. Monitoring tests also may be used to check for any signs of recurrence.

To be continued…

Compiled by Helen Mukamuhende