Early symptoms of breast cancer

Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
Updated on January 25, 2025
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The symptoms of early-stage breast cancer mainly include breast lumps, abnormal nipple discharge, and changes in breast skin. Breast cancer is a common type of malignant tumor among women in China, with adenocarcinoma being the most common pathological type, although other types can also be seen clinically. Patients exhibiting abnormal breast lumps, abnormal nipple discharge, and changes in breast skin should consider the possibility of breast cancer. Patients suspected of having breast cancer should undergo breast imaging tests, including mammography and breast MRI, among others. Patients in whom abnormal breast masses are found during imaging tests can obtain a definitive diagnosis by surgical removal or percutaneous biopsy. Patients diagnosed with breast cancer should undergo surgical treatment as soon as possible.

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Written by Zhang Chao Jie
Breast Surgery
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Can breast cancer be cured?

Breast cancer is one of the few curable solid malignant tumors; a solid tumor refers to one that forms a mass or has a tangible tumor body. However, the prerequisite is that the breast cancer must be in its early stages, as advanced breast cancer is currently difficult to cure, and not all early-stage breast cancers can be cured. With standardized systematic treatment in modern medicine, about 60% to 70% of early-stage breast cancers can be completely cured. However, 30% to 40% of early-stage breast cancers still develop into advanced-stage breast cancer. This is one of the reasons why long-term monitoring, close follow-up, and regular re-examinations are necessary for breast cancer management later on.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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Types of breast cancer surgery

Breast cancer surgery types are generally still dominated by modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy can be divided into two types; one preserves both the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles, and the other removes the pectoralis minor muscle but preserves the pectoralis major muscle. Another option is breast-conserving surgery, which is feasible for tumors smaller than three centimeters and at least two centimeters away from the nipple. Nowadays, sentinel lymph node biopsy has become popular. If it proves that the sentinel lymph node has no metastasis, a single mastectomy can be performed.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
52sec home-news-image

Early symptoms of breast cancer

The symptoms of early-stage breast cancer mainly include breast lumps, abnormal nipple discharge, and changes in breast skin. Breast cancer is a common type of malignant tumor among women in China, with adenocarcinoma being the most common pathological type, although other types can also be seen clinically. Patients exhibiting abnormal breast lumps, abnormal nipple discharge, and changes in breast skin should consider the possibility of breast cancer. Patients suspected of having breast cancer should undergo breast imaging tests, including mammography and breast MRI, among others. Patients in whom abnormal breast masses are found during imaging tests can obtain a definitive diagnosis by surgical removal or percutaneous biopsy. Patients diagnosed with breast cancer should undergo surgical treatment as soon as possible.

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home-news-image
Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
45sec home-news-image

Symptoms of breast cancer metastasis

Symptoms of breast cancer metastasis first involve the lymph nodes, with multiple enlarged lymph nodes that can be felt beneath and above the collarbone. These can be diagnosed as metastases from breast cancer using color Doppler ultrasound and cytopathology puncture. The second symptom is bone metastasis. If there is pain in the pelvic or rib area, and an increase in alkaline phosphatase in the blood biochemistry, high suspicion of bone metastasis should be considered. It is necessary to conduct a PADCT or bone scan for further confirmation. If symptoms like coughing, expectorating phlegm, and blood-tinged sputum appear, lung metastasis should be considered, requiring further diagnosis with a CT scan.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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How long does breast cancer surgery take?

Generally speaking, for breast cancer surgery, local anesthesia is first used to biopsy the pathology. After removing the pathology, it is quickly determined whether it is malignant or benign. Then, the procedure is switched to general anesthesia to perform either modified radical mastectomy or radical mastectomy, or a sentinel lymph node biopsy. The approximate time is about two hours, plus postoperative care, it usually ends in about two and a half hours, and then the patient is sent back to the ward to rest, generally not exceeding three hours.