They are not necessarily a sign of cancer, but a chest that is not as usual should be examined by a doctor.
Don’t panic. Observing your chest is important and every woman must do it regularly. “4 times a year, at each change of season for example, the woman can self-examine, in addition to a consultation with the gynecologist once a yearrecommends Dr Elisabeth Russ, pathologist, specializing in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Self-examination should be done outside of the period, ideally in the middle of the cycle (at least one week after the end of the period)“. To self-palpate properly:
1. We look at our breasts in the mirror. “We check the shape of her breasts in two positions. The first: arms alongside the body then the second, arms raised“. We also look at the skin of the breasts, the condition of the two nipples, the shape of the breasts.
2. We self-palpate while still standing in front of the mirror: the right hand feels the left breast and the left hand feels the right breast. “To do this, we use the pads of the fingers (fingertips) to flatten the breast against the thorax, going from the region located under the clavicle to below the inframammary fold, from the outside to the sternum, between the two breasts. Do not forget to palpate the area of the axillary region (at armpit level) to check that there is no lump“.
What are we looking for? An abnormal sign. Without necessarily meaning “cancer”, it deserves medical advice to understand what it is hiding. Among these signs, Dr Elisabeth Russ lists for Le Journal des Femmes:
- Redness of the skin of the breasts: “Skin redness may indicate suspicious lesions“. Likewise, a change in the texture or pigmentation of the breast or the areola (the small circle of darker color that surrounds the nipple) should also alert.
- Breast deformity:What we call a flat area, when the roundness of the breast is no longer the same – it is “flatter” than before – should lead you to consult a doctor“, insists Dr. Elizabeth Russ. In the same way, a breast which has a small dimple on the side or which changes in size (outside the period) should alert you.
- A retracted nipple: “Nipple retraction – in other words, a nipple that retracts or umbilicates like a belly button – can be a warning sign“, warns Dr. Russ.
- A lump in the breast: A hard, non-moving lump with irregular contours that persists may suggest breast cancer. Conversely, a lump with well-defined and smooth edges, which “rolls” under the fingers when palpating the breast, rather suggests a benign lesion such as a fibroadenoma. In all cases, only imaging examinations (or even a biopsy) will allow the type of lesion to be assessed. “Be careful, on small breasts, the lump will be felt more easily. On large breasts, it may be a little more “drowned” in the mass and not felt during palpation.“, underlines the expert.
- A hard lymph node in the armpit: If you feel a hard lump that is not painful, you should consult your doctor or gynecologist. “You should not be overly concerned if you feel a lymph node under your armpit, but you should still talk to a doctor because the appearance of a lymph node is not trivial. A woman who shaves her armpits with a manual or electric razor, for example, may experience inflammation of the armpit hair, which can lead to the appearance of small hard lumps. In the event of small skin lesions (eczema under the arm), the axillary lymph nodes also tend to increase in volume“, explains our interlocutor. This can also happen after the production of a vaccine, as we noticed during the Covid-19 epidemic.
- Nipple discharge: this corresponds to a leak of fluid from one or more ducts of the nipple. The discharge can occur only on one side, sometimes on both, be accompanied by pain, be spontaneous or occur after pressure on the nipple. Depending on the characteristics and its color, nipple discharge does not mean the same thing. A thick, greenish, brown or bloody discharge, accompanied by a burning sensation or nipple retraction, may suggest breast cancer.
“It is rare for breast cancer to present itself with pain.confirms the specialist. But it’s not impossible. Most of the time, breast cancer is suspected when a hard, painless lump is felt. “Anything that is painful is ultimately less worrying than what is hard, non-mobile (a ball that does not move between the fingers when palpated) and not painful, except in very rare contexts of inflammatory cancers.“, informs our specialist. Breast pain is therefore, in the vast majority of cases, the symptom of a non-cancerous condition. However, it must be monitored and should be the subject of a medical consultation. “As it evolves, the tumor grows and increases in volume. A cancer can also progress very slowly, for example, a low-grade hormone-sensitive cancer.“, explains Dr. Russ.
Thanks to Dr Elisabeth Russ, pathologist, specialized in the diagnosis of breast cancer.
