It either starts in the parts of the breast that are used to produce milk or in the tubes that carry the milk to the nipple.

Breast cancer can either be invasive i.e. spread to other areas of the breast and other organs or non-invasive i.e. confined to a local area in the breast. Here are a few common symptoms of breast cancer that one must look out for

• A lump in the breast or thickening of some areas of the breast
• Pain and swelling in the breast
• The skin on the breast is red and seems like it has dents on it.
• Sudden change in the shape of your breasts
• Discharge from the breast that is not milk. The discharge can also be blood
• Lump present under the arm
• Peeling or flaking of the skin in the breast

Testing for Breast Cancer

Here are the different ways of testing for breast cancer

Physical exam: The doctor will examine the breasts and the area around it to determine if there’s any abnormal growths or thickening

Mammogram: This is nothing but an X-ray of the breast. It’s the most common test for breast cancer

Removing cells from the breast: The cells are removed from the breast and sent to the lab to determine if the cells are cancerous and which stage the cancer is in. This procedure is called a biopsy.