Most breast lumps are not cancer, but all lumps should be checked out by a doctor to be sure. Non cancerous breast lumps may be scar tissue or cysts (fluid-filled lumps or sacs) or they can be due to normal breast changes associated with hormone changes or aging.
Symptoms of breast cancer include:
- A lump or thickening in the breast or under the arm
- A clear or bloody discharge from the nipple
- Persistent crusting or scaling of the nipple
- Inverted nipples
- Redness or swelling of the breast
- Dimpling on the breast skin resembling the texture of an orange
- A change in the contours of the breast, such as one being higher than the other
- A sore or ulcer on the skin of the breast that does not heal
