Breast cancer sometimes has no symptoms, so regular checks are important for women aged 40 and over.
Breast changes may not mean cancer, but see a doctor if you notice:
- a lump, lumpiness or thickening, especially in just one breast
- a change in the size or shape of the breast or swelling
- a change to the nipple – change in shape, crusting, sores or ulcers, redness, pain, a clear or bloody discharge, or a nipple that turns in (inverted nipple) when it used to stick out
- a change in the skin – dimpling or indentation, a rash or itchiness, scaly appearance, unusual redness or other colour changes
- swelling or discomfort in the armpit or near the collarbone
- ongoing, unusual breast pain not related to your period.
For an overview of what to expect at every stage of your cancer care, visit Cancer Care Guides – Breast Cancer. This is a short guide to what is recommended, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.
→ READ MORE: Breast cancer diagnosis
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Dr Diana Adams, Medical Oncologist, Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre, NSW; Prof Bruce Mann, Specialist Breast Surgeon and Director, Breast Cancer Services, The Royal Melbourne and The Royal Women’s Hospitals, VIC; Dr Shagun Aggarwal, Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Prince of Wales, Sydney Children’s and Royal Hospital for Women, NSW; Andrea Concannon, consumer; Jenny Gilchrist, Nurse Practitioner Breast Oncology, Macquarie University Hospital, NSW; Monica Graham, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Natasha Keir, Nurse Practitioner Breast Oncology, GenesisCare, QLD; Dr Bronwyn Kennedy, Breast Physician, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, NSW; Lisa Montgomery, consumer; A/Prof Sanjay Warrier, Specialist Breast Surgeon, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Dr Janice Yeh, Radiation Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC.
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