When to Call Your Doctor

Early detection is the best weapon against breast cancer. Detecting cancer early may allow you and your doctor to consider more treatment options. Although women with breast cancer usually do not experience any pain in the early stages of the disease, there are common symptoms which should serve as indicators that problems may exist. The following symptoms are warning signs for breast cancer or other breast disease. If you feel you have any of these symptoms, you should call your doctor immediately.

• A lump that stays longer than two weeks.
• Skin thickening, swelling or discoloration of part or all of the breast.
• Nipple thickening, scaling, ulceration or redness.
• Inward puckering of the skin or nipple.
• Change in the shape of the breast.
• Change in the way your breast lifts when you raise your hands over your head.
• Change in breast size - if one looks considerably larger than the other. Normally, women have one larger breast. It's the change that may indicate the disease.
• Change in the position of the nipples.
• Enlargement of the skin's pores which may resemble an orange peel.
• If not nursing or in the last three months of pregnancy, any nipple discharge that occurs without breast stimulation, especially a bloody discharge.

To find a physician, call the Saint Francis Health System physician referral line at 918-494-5463 or search our online directory.