What are the warning signs of breast cancer?
Any change in the normal appearance or texture of a woman s breast may be an indication of breast cancer and should be examined by a physician. Common warning signs of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, an abnormal thickening of the breast tissue, or a change in density of the breast. Occasionally, breast cancer may be indicated by a lump under the arm, a redness of the skin over the breast, a change of the nipple (such as discharge or inversion), or a dimpling of the breast skin. Note: breast cancer is not always noticeable by appearance or touch. Women over 40 years of age should have annual mammograms to help detect breast cancer at an early stage. Women who are at high risk of breast cancer (such as those who have tested positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes) or those who have a first-degree (mother or sister) who have/have had breast cancer should ask their physicians about beginning annual mammograms 10 years prior to the age of diagnosis of the relative as early as age
