Symptoms:

Early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. This is why regular breast exams are important. As the cancer grows, symptoms may include:

• Breast lump or lump in the armpit that is hard, has uneven edges, and usually does not hurt
• Change in the size, shape, or feel of the breast or nipple -- for example, you may have redness, dimpling, or puckering that looks like the skin of an orange
• Fluid coming from the nipple -- may be bloody, clear to yellow, green, and look like pus

Men can get breast cancer, too. Symptoms include breast lump and breast pain and tenderness.

Symptoms of advanced breast cancer may include:

• Bone pain
• Breast pain or discomfort
• Skin ulcers
• Swelling of one arm (next to the breast with cancer)
• Weight loss

Signs and tests:

The doctor will ask you about your symptoms and risk factors. Then the doctor will perform a physical exam, which includes both breasts, armpits, and the neck and chest area.

Tests used to diagnose and monitor patients with breast cancer may include:

• Breast MRI to help better identify the breast lump or evaluate an abnormal change on a mammogram
• Breast ultrasound to show whether the lump is solid or fluid-filled
• Breast biopsy, using methods such as needle aspiration, ultrasound-guided, stereotactic, or open
• CT scan to see if the cancer has spread
• Mammography to screen for breast cancer or help identify the breast lump
• PET scan
• Sentinal lymph node biopsy to see if the cancer has spread

If your doctor learns that you do have breast cancer, more tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread. This is called staging. Staging helps guide future treatment and follow-up and gives you some idea of what to expect in the future.

Breast cancer stages range from 0 to IV. The higher the staging number, the more advanced the cancer.