What are the main symptoms doctors see in breast cancer?

Painless mass: If you are not alert to a dominant mass in your breast, you will not have other symptoms until the disease is advanced. Despite all the promotion of mammogram-machines and costly screening, the best thing you can do at your age is get into the monthly self-exam habit. Good luck and stay pro-active.

Good question: The unfortunate thing about breast cancer is that it almost never causes symptoms or physical findings early. That is why mammogram is so important. The great majority of breast cancers are now diagnosed before they cause symptoms. The earliest a tumor can be felt is when it is about 1 cm in diameter if you are thin. By the time it reaches that size it has been present for about 2-3 years.

Breast lump, etc. : The most common sign/symptom is the presence of a lump in the breast. Other symptoms include nipple discharge, nipple inversion, skin indentation, and breast pain. Nevertheless, the majority of people diagnosed with breast cancer have no symptoms whatsoever. The best way to diagnose breast cancer early is to have routine screening mammograms beginning at age 40.