Overview
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Nigerian women, and it is most curable when found early — yet many women present late, after months of watching a painless lump. Most breast lumps are NOT cancer, but every new lump deserves prompt examination. Know your breasts, check them monthly, and never let fear delay a check.
Symptoms
- A new lump in the breast or armpit, usually painless
- Change in breast size or shape
- Dimpling or puckering of the skin (like orange peel)
- Nipple turning inward or changing direction
- Blood-stained nipple discharge
- Persistent rash or sore around the nipple
- Swelling or warmth of the breast
Causes & risk factors
- Increasing age
- Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
- Early periods, late menopause or late first pregnancy
- Obesity and alcohol use
- Inherited gene changes in some families
Treatment & self-care
Diagnosis uses clinical examination, imaging and a needle biopsy — a biopsy does not spread cancer, a persistent myth that costs lives. Treatment is planned by a specialist team and may combine surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone-blocking tablets, with cure rates highest in early stages. Monthly self-examination and prompt review of any change are the habits that save lives.
See a doctor urgently if
- Any new breast or armpit lump — within days, not months
- Nipple discharge containing blood
- Skin dimpling, nipple inversion or a persistent nipple rash
- A lump in a man's breast (men get breast cancer too)