Know Your Normal
Every woman’s breasts are unique. Becoming familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel makes it easier to notice unusual changes.
You should speak with a healthcare professional if you notice:
- A new lump or thickened area in the breast or underarm.
- Swelling in all or part of the breast.
- Changes in breast size or shape.
- Skin dimpling or a texture that resembles an orange peel.
- Redness, warmth, or persistent irritation.
- Pain that doesn’t go away.
- A nipple that turns inward unexpectedly.
- Bloody or unusual nipple discharge.
- Changes in the skin of the nipple or breast.
Most breast changes are not cancer, but every new or persistent change deserves prompt medical evaluation.
The Importance of Screening
Screening helps detect breast cancer before symptoms develop. Depending on your age, personal risk factors, and national healthcare recommendations, your healthcare provider may recommend regular mammograms or other imaging tests.
Women with a strong family history or inherited genetic mutations, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, may require earlier or more frequent screening.
Following recommended screening schedules can identify cancers at their earliestāand often most treatableāstage.
Common Risk Factors
While breast cancer can affect anyone, certain factors increase the likelihood of developing the disease:
Age
The risk increases steadily as women grow older, with most cases diagnosed after age 50.
Family History and Genetics
Having a close relative with breast or ovarian cancer may increase your risk. Some inherited gene mutations significantly raise lifetime risk, although they account for only a small percentage of all breast cancer cases.
Hormonal Factors
Early menstruation, late menopause, having children later in life, or certain hormone replacement therapies can influence breast cancer risk.
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