Dr. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist and medical contributor for Fox News, says women should be aware that there are less obvious signs of breast cancer they should look out for to avoid later complications.
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Black women, according to a report by Verywell Health, and has become the most fatal cancer in Black women over the past several years. “One of the biggest goals when it comes to breast cancer detection is to try and discover those cancers before they cause any problems,” Saphier told Fox News Digital. “Until you do that biopsy … you won’t necessarily know that it’s an inflammatory cancer that’s causing these issues…And unfortunately, this can lead to a later diagnosis.”
According to the American Cancer Society, the most common sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass, but Dr. Saphier noted, “It’s not just about feeling a lump,” and women should pay attention to their bodies and look out for the following hidden symptoms that may prompt examination from a medical professional.
Nipple discharge, or fluid leakage from one breast or both, is normal, but studies found the symptom accounts for 3% to 9% of breast cancer patients. Discharge that leaks milky, yellow, or green following breastfeeding may not be problematic, according to Health.com. However, bloody discharge is abnormal and should be examined by a healthcare professional as it can be a warning sign of breast cancer.
“Some women … see a little bit of blood in their bra,” Dr. Saphier said. “This can be a sign of cancer cells in the duct.”
Dr. Saphier said women should also pay attention to the itchiness of the skin on their breasts or the nipple itself. “This could be an indicator of an inflammatory process inside the breast,” she said.
Looking out for any swelling or lumps in the lymph nodes is also important; women should also pay attention to the armpit area. “People come in with a lump,” the radiologist said. “Sometimes it can be something benign, like a cyst, but it can also be a cancer.” This hidden sign can signal that “not only is there a cancer in the breast, but it has now traveled to the lymph nodes.”
One of the most common signs of inflammatory breast cancer is redness or inflamed skin. “This is a different cancer in the sense that it doesn’t present as a mass,” she said. Verywell Health reported that with inflammatory breast cancer, lumps may not always show up on a mammogram. Although inflammatory breast cancer only accounts for 1% to 3% of all breast cancers, Black women are 70% more likely to be diagnosed with this cancer type compared to white women.
Dr. Saphier stated that taking action and seeking medical guidance is crucial once a woman notices any changes; however, as previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed more disparities and delays with breast cancer treatments for Black women. Out of the more than 258,000 women with early-stage breast cancer aged 65 years and older, 18% of Black women lacked guideline-recommended care. Aside from age, other demographic categories like cancer stage, insurance, and income levels contributed to the 26% higher death risk for Black women compared to white women.
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