What can a breast cancer lump look or feel like?

Breast cancer commonly presents as a new lump or thickened area. It may feel firm, have an irregular outline, seem fixed, or simply feel unlike the matching area in the other breast. Some cancerous lumps are smooth, movable or tender, and some breast cancers do not create a lump that can be felt.

Visible clues can include dimpling or puckering, a new change in breast contour, a nipple pulling inward, scaling around the nipple, or unexplained discharge. These signs are not proof of cancer. Benign conditions can look similar, and a normal-looking breast can still contain an abnormality detected by imaging.

Use a mirror and gentle touch only to describe what has changed; photographs from the internet cannot classify your lump. Arrange a medical examination, noting the exact location and any nipple, skin or armpit symptoms. Tell the clinician whether the change varies with your cycle or began during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The next step may be a mammogram, ultrasound or another imaging examination. A suspicious area may require a breast biopsy because tissue analysis is what distinguishes cancer from a non-cancerous process.

Book prompt assessment for any newly felt lump, persistent focal thickening, new nipple inversion, bloody discharge, skin dimpling, or swelling in the breast or armpit. Seek urgent care for rapidly spreading redness with fever or feeling acutely unwell, because breast infection can also cause swelling and needs timely treatment.

Ask whether the examination found a distinct mass, which imaging method is appropriate, and whether the images explain the change. If sampling is suggested, ask how the biopsy is performed, when to expect the pathology result, and what follow-up is needed if the result is benign but the lump remains.