Late-stage symptoms of breast cancer

Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
Updated on September 13, 2024
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The first symptom of advanced breast cancer is a lump in the breast, which may be larger than before, or there may be multiple lumps that are fixed to the surrounding tissues and have limited mobility. The second symptom is nipple discharge, which could be watery, serous, or milky. The third possible sign is changes in the skin, such as dimpling or an orange-peel texture. The fourth point includes the retraction of the nipple, abnormalities in the areola, and thickening and reddening of the nipple skin. The fifth point can involve pain in the breast. In advanced stages, the cancer may directly invade the nerves. Sixthly, advanced breast cancer may lead to metastases; for example, brain metastases might cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness. If there are bone metastases, especially multiple bone metastases, symptoms could include pain in the lower back and pain along the sciatic nerve, among others.

Other Voices

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Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
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Differences between Breast Hyperplasia and Breast Cancer

Both breast hyperplasia and breast cancer can present as breast lumps. The lumps in breast hyperplasia are generally softer or of medium hardness, often occurring bilaterally with multiple lumps of varying sizes. They may appear nodular, plaque-like, or granular, are quite mobile, and have no adhesion to surrounding tissues. The size and characteristics of the lumps commonly change with the menstrual cycle and emotional fluctuations, and they tend to grow slowly, predominantly affecting young and middle-aged women. In contrast, breast cancer lumps are generally harder, usually unilateral and solitary. These lumps may be round, oval, or irregular in shape, can grow quite large, have limited mobility, and tend to adhere to the skin and surrounding tissues. The lumps are not related to the menstrual cycle or emotional changes, can increase in size rapidly over a short period, and are more commonly seen in middle-aged and older women. Sometimes breast cancer can be confused with breast hyperplasia, necessitating a hospital visit for examination and diagnostic differentiation by a doctor.

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Written by Zhang Chao Jie
Breast Surgery
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Breast Cancer Metastasizes to Which Locations

Breast cancer metastasis generally follows the following sites due to its anatomical structure and specific characteristics. The most common sites are the axilla, the contralateral breast, the contralateral axilla, and the areas above and below the clavicle, which is also known as the pipa bone, referring to the areas above and below the pipa bone. As for distant organs, based on the frequency or likelihood of occurrence, the most common are the lungs, bones, liver, and the brain, specifically within the head. These are referred to as the lungs, bones, liver, and head, which are the places most prone to distant organ metastasis.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

The first sign of breast cancer can be a lump in the breast, where lumps might be palpable in the upper outer quadrant of the breast; the second symptom might be nipple discharge or bleeding; the third symptom might be pain in the breast; the fourth symptom might involve changes in the skin of the breast, such as the skin becoming rough and possibly developing an orange peel texture; the fifth symptom might be nipple retraction and changes in the areola.

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

Breast cancer is not contagious. Infectious diseases have their natural characteristics. For instance, respiratory infectious diseases and even hepatitis can be transmitted through certain pathways. Cancer, including breast cancer, is not communicable. To date, medical research has found no evidence suggesting that cancer can be spread from person to person. Only about 5% of cancers have a genetic component. Consider this: if cancer were contagious, wouldn't medical professionals, aside from the patients' families, be the most affected group? However, how many health care providers have contracted cancer from their patients? Thus, it can be stated that breast cancer is not contagious.

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Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
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Breast Cancer Self-Examination Method

Breast self-examination helps to detect changes in the breasts in a timely manner, and to discover breast diseases promptly. For instance, breast lumps are often found by patients themselves during self-examination. However, finding a breast lump does not necessarily mean it is breast cancer, as many conditions can present as breast lumps, such as the most common one, fibrocystic breast changes. Besides breast self-examination, early detection of breast cancer also relies on regular physical check-ups. It is recommended that women of childbearing age should develop the habit of regular breast self-examinations and routine physical check-ups, and consult a doctor promptly if abnormalities are found.