User:A.Anthony28/sandbox

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The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump.[18] The earliest breast cancers are detected by a mammogram .[19] Lumps found in lymph nodes located in the armpits[18] can also indicate breast cancer.

Indications of breast cancer other than a lump may include thickening different from the other breast tissue, one breast becoming larger or lower, a nipple changing position or shape or becoming inverted, skin puckering or dimpling, a rash on or around a nipple, discharge from nipple/s, constant pain in part of the breast or armpit, and swelling beneath the armpit or around the collarbone.[20] Pain ("mastodynia") is an unreliable tool in determining the presence or absence of breast cancer but may be indicative of other breast health issues.[18][19][21]

Another reported symptom complex of breast cancer is Paget's disease of the breast. This syndrome presents as skin changes resembling eczema, such as redness, discoloration, or mild flaking of the nipple skin. As Paget's disease of the breast advances, symptoms may include tingling, itching, increased sensitivity, burning, and pain. There may also be discharge from the nipple. Approximately half of women diagnosed with Paget's disease of the breast also have a lump in the breast.[22]

Inflammatory Breast Cancer presents with similar effects. '''Inflammatory Breast Cancer is a rare (only seen in less than 5% of breast cancer diagnosis) yet aggressive form of breast cancer characterized by the swollen, red areas formed on the top of the Breast. The visual effects of Inflammatory Breast Cancer is a result of a blockage of lymph vessels by cancer cells. This type of breast cancer is seen in more commonly diagnosed in younger ages, obese women, and African American women. As inflammatory breast cancer does not present as a lump there can sometimes be a delay in diagnosis.'''

Not all masses on the breast originate from the breast tissue itself. In rare cases, what initially appears as a fibroadenoma (hard, movable non-cancerous lump) could, in fact, be a phyllodes tumor. Phyllodes tumors are formed within the stroma (connective tissue) of the breast and contain glandular as well as stromal tissue. Phyllodes tumors are not staged in the usual sense; they are classified on the basis of their appearance under the microscope as benign, borderline, or malignant.[23] Tumors that have diameters of 3 cm or greater have a higher chance of malignancy.

Malignant tumors can result in metastatic tumors— secondary tumors (originating from the primary tumor) that spread beyond the site of origination. The symptoms caused by metastatic breast cancer will depend on the location of metastasis. Common sites of metastasis include bone, liver, lung, and brain.[24] When cancer has reached such an invasive state, it is categorized as a stage 4 cancer, cancers of this state are oftentimes fatal. . Common symptoms of stage 4 cancer include unexplained weight loss, bone and joint pain, jaundice, and also neurological symptoms. These symptoms are called non-specific symptoms because they could be manifestations of many other illnesses.[25]

Most symptoms of breast disorders, including most lumps, do not turn out to represent underlying breast cancer. Fewer than 20% of lumps, for example, are cancerous,[26] and benign breast diseases such as mastitis and fibroadenoma of the breast are more common causes of breast disorder symptoms.[27]