6 Myths About Breast Cancer Symptoms & Screening

As with most cancers and other serious medical conditions, the sooner you discover breast cancer, the more likely you are to overcome it. So it’s important to follow your doctor’s recommendations for breast cancer screenings. Some women are so worried about potentially serious results that they delay going to the doctor and ignore screenings. Part of this anxiety could be fueled by some popular misconceptions about breast cancer symptoms and screenings. Now, it’s time to clear the air about these myths and take charge of your health.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute notes that up to 4 out of 5 breast lumps are benign (noncancerous). If you feel a lump in your breast, don’t panic. It may be a breast cyst or scar-like tissue called fibrosis. Do, however, see your doctor. Any breast lump should be ruled out for breast cancer—for your own peace of mind, and to ensure you receive necessary treatment.

Other breast cancer symptoms include changes in breast shape or size; redness, irritation or thickening of skin on the breast or nipple; an orange peel-like texture on the breast; an inward-turning or pulled appearance of the nipple; nipple discharge; and swollen lymph nodes under the arm. Not all of these symptoms indicate cancer. But if you notice them, see a doctor to find out what’s causing your symptoms.

Research shows that mammography of large breasts is in fact very accurate. If you have large breasts, your mammogram technician may need to take more pictures, since there is more tissue to examine. With large breasts, it can be difficult to manually feel a lump that may be cancer. It’s important to have regular mammograms whatever your breast size.

There are several noncancerous causes of breast pain. They include hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy, menopause, and your period; certain medications; and fibrosis (benign lumpy breast tissue). If you have breast pain that doesn’t go away, or if you have breast pain with other symptoms, such as nipple discharge, a new breast lump, fever, or redness, see a doctor to find out more.

Breast pain is one of the less common signs of breast cancer, but it’s still a breast cancer symptom. According to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 2 to 7% of people with painful breast lumps actually do have cancer. Infection is another possible cause of breast pain. If you have breast pain that bothers you or doesn’t go away, don’t try and diagnose yourself. See your doctor for a professional medical opinion.

If a mammogram shows signs of breast cancer, your doctor may recommend a biopsy. During a biopsy, your doctor removes a piece of breast tissue to look at individual cells. There is evidence that a certain type of uterine surgery—removal of uterine fibroids or the entire uterus by a technique called morcellation—can unknowingly spread cancer cells within the pelvis. However, this is not true of a breast biopsy. Breast biopsies (and more major breast cancer surgeries) use different techniques and do not spread cancer cells.