Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States. In early stages, breast cancer may not cause symptoms. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.
Risk factors
Your risk for breast cancer is due to a combination of factors. The main factors that influence your risk include being a woman and age. Most breast cancers are diagnosed after age 50. Some risk factors can be changed while others cannot:
- Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
- Physical inactivity
- Being overweight or obese after menopause
- Taking hormones
- Starting menstrual periods before age 12 and menopause after age 55
- Drinking alcohol
- Tobacco use
Signs and symptoms*
Breast cancer symptoms vary by person, and some people may not have any symptoms. Warning signs may include:
- New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
- Thickening or swelling in part of the breast
- Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
- Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area of the breast
- Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
- Pain in any area of the breast
*These symptoms may happen with other conditions that are not cancerous.
Preventive testing
Mammograms play a key role in early breast cancer detection and help decrease breast cancer deaths. A mammogram is an X-ray image of your breasts used to screen for breast cancer. It is the best screening test available today to find breast cancer in most women. A mammogram can find breast cancer in a person years before physical symptoms develop. Current recommendations for screening are:
- Start breast cancer screening at age 40 instead of the previously recommended age of 50
- Get screening mammograms every other year from ages 40 to 74
Talk to your care team today about your breast cancer risk and what screening options are best for you.
