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Lumps in the breasts - Symptom

Symptoms:

Symptoms depend on the underlying cause of the lump. Signs of a potentially cancerous breast lump may include:

A painless lump that is firm or hard, with irregular borders (edges)
Armpit lump
Arm swelling
Bone pain
Difference in breast size, compared with what it previously looked like
Nipple changes, including pulling inward, swelling, or itching
Nipple discharge -- usually bloody or straw-colored fluid
Skin changes such as dimpling or "orange peel" appearance, redness, easy to see veins on breast surface, and eventually skin ulceration
Weight loss

Signs and tests:

The doctor will perform a breast exam to feel for lumps. Tests that may be used to determine if a lump is cancer may include:

Breast biopsy
Breast ultrasound
Mammogram
Needle aspiration

Female Breast

Causes of breast lumps

Normal female breast anatomy

Breast lump removal - series

Reviewed last on: 7/17/2007
Robert Hurd, MD, Professor of Endocrinology, Department of Biology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, and physician in the Primary Care Clinic, Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Saslow D, Hannan J, Osuch J, et al. Clinical breast examination: practical recommendations for optimizing performance and reporting. CA Cancer J Clin. 2004; 54:327-344.

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