If the proportion of fatty tissue is higher, breasts are heavy or pendulous and feel softer. Though the nipples may vary in size or shape, they are usually roughly symmetrical unless one breast is markedly larger than the other. The areolae, or pigmented area around the nipple, may be any color from light pink to black, and may vary in size from a very narrow ring to one which covers as much as half of a small breast.
Areolae, too are generally symmetrical. Puberty: Normal changes in the breasts, including enlargement of the areolae, begin when the breast begin to grow, before the onset of menstruation. Such regular variations including swelling, tenderness and increased nodularity lumpiness just before the menstrual period, when hormone levels are highest; breast feel least nodular after menstruation.
The breast of young girls who have not yet begun to menstruate are seldom nodular at all. Pregnancy brings changes similar to those occurring before the menstrual period: breast become tender and swell with fluid; mammary gland and ducts enlarge; areolae may enlarge as well. The breasts generally become about one-third larger. At menopause , mammary glands decrease in size, fibrous breast tissue loses strength and elasticity, and breasts become softer and sag with age.
The skin of the breast, normally smooth, may become wrinkled as the supporting ligaments slacken. At any age , our breasts will increase or decrease in size with changes in your weight; because they are largely composed of fatty tissue, their shape and texture may alter as well if your weight loss or gain is dramatic. Most normal changes, take place in both breast, simultaneously and roughly symmetrically that is, in the same relative position or are in each breast.
Such changes are less likely to indicate trouble than those occurring in one breast only. International differences in the incidence of breast cancer correlates with variations in diet, especially fat intake.
Those countries where the diet is high in fat have a higher incidence of breast cancer. Additional studies are being conducted. In the meantime, there is no question that a lower fat diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and possible colon cancer.
The American Journal of Public Health, November 1, reported that getting a "lot" of fiber in your diet lowers your risk of breast cancer as well as other types of cancer. These findings were the result of a survey of women where it was found that women who frequently were constipated, often the result of low fiber diets , were more apt to get breast cancer as well as colon cancer.
The American Society of Breast Surgeons Foundation says that these lumps are very common, occurring in about 10 percent of women in the United States. Johns Hopkins Medicine says that a galactocele is also called a milk retention cyst. These lumps are fluid-filled and caused by a blocked milk duct.
They are usually found in women who are or who have recently stopped lactating. According to Breastcancer. It may be caused by trauma or injury. These lumps may develop a week to 10 days after surgery.
They feel swollen, and you might be able to feel the fluid inside the lump moving around. According to the American Cancer Society , adenosis is a benign condition in which milk-producing glands in your breast, called lobules, are enlarged, and there are extra lobules present.
In sclerosing adenosis, the enlarged lobules become misshaped because of scar-like tissue. Your breast may be painful. Because these lumps can sometimes feel like cancerous lumps, you may have a biopsy to rule out cancer and get a more accurate diagnosis. Breast lumps can also occur in men. However, the American Cancer Society says that benign breast lumps are less common in men than women.
Some breast cancers in men may present as a lump, but not all. Gynecomastia is the most common male breast disorder, according to the American Cancer Society. In gynecomastia, there is a slight growth, almost disc-like, under your nipple that you can feel, and sometimes even see.
In some cases, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms, but a doctor will identify a mass on a mammogram. Screening for breast cancer as recommended by a doctor can help detect this condition in its earliest and most treatable stage. In this article, we discuss some of the potential signs and symptoms of breast cancer that may occur without a noticeable lump in the breast. All of these symptoms can also have a noncancerous underlying cause.
However, people with these symptoms should speak to their doctor in case tests are necessary to check for both noncancerous and cancerous conditions. Breast cancer can cause changes and inflammation in skin cells that can lead to texture changes. Examples of these texture changes include:. These changes may also cause itching, which people often associate with breast cancer, although it is not common. Texture changes can also occur as a result of benign skin conditions, including dermatitis and eczema.
A person may observe discharge from the nipple, which can be thin or thick and can range in color from clear to milky to yellow, green, or red. It is normal for people who are breastfeeding to have a milky discharge from the nipples, but it is advisable to see a doctor about any other nipple discharge.
Other possible reasons for nipple discharge include:. Skin dimpling can sometimes be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer, an aggressive type of breast cancer.
Cancer cells can cause a buildup of lymph fluid in the breast that leads to swelling as well as dimpling or pitted skin. It is essential that anyone who notices skin dimpling speaks with a doctor.
Lymph nodes are small, rounded collections of immune system tissue that filter fluid and capture potentially harmful cells. These include bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. If a cancer cell leaves the breast, the first place it travels to is the underarm lymph node region on the same side as the affected breast.
In most cases, this lumpiness is no cause to worry. Lumps that feel harder or different from the rest of the breast or the other breast or that feel like a change should be checked. This type of lump may be a sign of breast cancer or a benign breast condition such as a cyst or fibroadenoma.
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