Are breast cancer lumps felt on the surface of your skin or do you have to feel more underneath?

Breast cancer can be: Superficial or deep. Can include a mass. Masses that are painless, irregular ; hard are more suggestive of cancer but they can also be tender, painful ; soft. Swelling of breast; thickened, red, skin; non-milky nipple discharge; new retraction of nipple, puckering or irritation of skin or pain ; sometimes swollen lymph nodes under arm(s). Seek med eval if you have suspicious symptoms.