One of the most well-known symptoms of breast cancer is a lump on the breast, and this is something that women are always being encouraged to look for in regular breast checkups.
But did you know there are also other, less-known and even less-common symptoms that are still indicative of breast cancer? If you didn’t read on, because this information might save your live or the life of somebody close to you.
Kylie Armstrong, a Melbourne woman, was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of this year, to her great surprise. Why was she surprised? Because she exhibited none of the classic signs of breast cancer. In fact, the only symptom she had was one she wasn’t even aware was related to the disease: small dimples on the underside of her breast.
Following her diagnosis, Kylie realised that she needed to get the information about her symptoms out there, to ensure that women knew that lumps weren’t the only thing they should be looking for. So she posted an image of the dimples, along with a warning on Facebook.
via Facebook
“This is what MY BREAST CANCER looks like.
I felt no lump.
The GP felt no lump.
However, she listened to me when I said my breast looked different to usual and when I raised my arm I could see very, very feint dimples on the underside of my breast.
The GP sent me for a mammogram to be sure.
It wasn’t obvious on the scan so they sent me for an ultrasound.The ultrasound found the cancer deep in my breast close to the muscle.
These 3 dimples have turned my world and my families world upside down.”
Kylie’s Hope
Kylie says she hopes that by sharing the image, women will be more motivated to get their breasts checked when they detect even the slightest changes. She says:
“I am sharing this because I hope I can make people aware that Breast Cancer is not always a detectable lump.”
“Please go straight to your GP if you notice ANY change in your breast.
It could save your life.”
Clearly, Kylie is not the only one who thinks this message deserves to be shared. Since posting the warning on the 29th of February, it has been shared more than 87,000 times. Messages of support have also poured in from all over the world, and the photo remains up today despite being reported for nudity several times. Thankfully, even the behemoth that is Facebook realised just how important this message is.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Although the lump remains the most well-known symptom of breast cancer, there are actually a number of other symptoms that women can look for in their own breasts. These include:
- A change in nipple size or shape
- A redness or rash on the skin of the breasts and/or around the nipple area
- Any discharge from the nipple that happens with no squeezing
- Swelling in the armpit or around the collarbone
- Any skin texture change, like puckering or dimpling
- Inverted nipples, or nipples that change position or shape
- Constant pain in the breast or armpit
We’d recommend having a look at this helpful diagram from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and always checking your breasts on a monthly basis. It could save your life.
via National Breast Cancer Foundation
