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  • How to Recognize Breast Cancer Symptoms. Over the course of a woman's lifetime, she may

  • experience breast changes. While many end up being nothing to worry about, it's important

  • to have any changes that you notice checked by a doctor -- just to be on the safe side.

  • Here are the potential breast cancer symptoms to watch out for. You will need Monthly self-exams

  • Attention to breast changes Medical exam and annual mammograms at age 40. This video does

  • not replace actual medical advice. Always consult your doctor with any questions or

  • concerns. Step 1. Start performing a monthly self-exam as soon as your breasts are fully

  • developed. Checking yourself regularly is important -- you need to know what your breasts

  • feel like normally so you can recognize any changes. Examine yourself several days after

  • your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you're

  • no longer having periods, choose a day that's easy to remember, such as the first or last

  • day of the month. Keep in mind that it's not uncommon for breasts to feel lumpy due to

  • benign fibrocystic breast disease, cysts, scar tissue, infections, and other causes

  • that have nothing to do with cancer. For instructions on how to do a breast self-exam properly,

  • go to "Breastcancer.org":http://www.breastcancer.org/. Step 2. Know what you're feeling for: a lump

  • that feels different from your breast's normal lumpiness, like discovering a pebble in your

  • oatmeal. Though many lumps are benign, anything that feels new or odd should be checked by

  • your doctor -- even if you've recently had a clean mammogram. Check for lumps in your

  • armpits, too. Cancerous lumps are more likely to be hard, painless, and unmovable.

  • Step 3. Look for visible changes, like dimpled, puckered, thickened, reddened, or scaly breast

  • skin, or a flattening or indentation on the breast. All are potential breast cancer symptoms

  • that should be evaluated. Step 4. Recognize the nipple changes that can indicate breast

  • cancer -- pain; redness; scaliness; itching; skin thickening; the nipple turning inward;

  • or discharge other than breast milk. Step 5. See your doctor about swelling in all or

  • part of your breast, or breast pain. Though swelling and soreness are usually no cause

  • for concern, these symptoms can be signs of a rare but aggressive form of the disease

  • known as inflammatory breast cancer. Step 6. Have your doctor perform a breast examination

  • at your yearly check-up, and begin annual mammograms at age 40. If you have a family

  • history of the disease, tell your doctor: they may suggest that you start having mammograms

  • at an earlier age. Knowing the signs of breast cancer -- and being proactive about knowing

  • how to recognize them early -- is the best way to protect yourself. Did you know In a

  • "Breastcancer.org":http://www.breastcancer.org/ survey of more than 2,200 women, 37 percent

  • said they first detected their breast cancer with a self-exam.

How to Recognize Breast Cancer Symptoms. Over the course of a woman's lifetime, she may

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