Be aware of changes to your breasts and chest that might be signs of breast cancer. Getting into the habit of checking your chest every month is an easy way to stay on top of this. It’s also important to understand that some of these changes happen naturally, like during your monthly cycle.
A note on wording:
Breast cancer can affect anybody, and everybody is welcome in CoppaFeel!’s community.
We use the word chest to include all bodies and genders, and breast when we need to be clinically accurate. When we use these words we mean the area from your ribs up to your collarbone and armpits, including your nipples.
We’re actively inclusive in our language and we ask people how they want to be described. You might prefer to call your chest something else, and that’s ok!
What you can see is as important as what you can feel, so remember to look AND feel when checking your breasts or chest.
If you notice any of the below symptoms, get in touch with your GP and get it checked out.
Puckering or dimpling means an uneven texture on the breast or chest that looks like orange peel.
As well as the breast and chest, it’s also important to check your upper chest and armpits too. These areas can also be affected by breast cancer. If you notice an unusual lump or swelling in these areas, then you should see your GP.
If you get to know how your chest feels normally by checking monthly, it will be easier to notice any unusual changes. These might be new lumps or one part of your chest starting to feel thicker than the rest.
You may hear this liquid being called discharge. The liquid or discharge could be yellow, clear, white, green or bloody. This may be nothing serious, however it could be a sign of breast cancer or a breast cyst (a lump of fluid or pus).
There are lots of reasons why your skin could become irritated, especially if you are breastfeeding. You should get this looked at if you notice a change in colour (*your skin tone can affect how this looks). If you notice a rash or crusting skin on or around your nipple you should also see your GP.
*On Black skin, the area may go darker than the surrounding area. You may notice small spots in the area or changes in the colour, like purple, yellow or grey.
On Brown skin, the colour change may be more of a dark red. The area may also go darker than the surrounding area.
On white skin, the colour change may look pink or red.
It is important to pay special attention to your nipple during your monthly checks. Look to see if your nipple has become pulled into your breast or pec, or looks different to usual. This could be a change in its position or shape.
Many people naturally have one breast or pec bigger than the other. Breasts or pecs can also gradually change as you get older which is perfectly normal. However, if you notice a sudden, unusual change in the size or shape of your breast or pec, you should see your GP.
Pain in your breast, pec or armpit can be perfectly normal, especially around periods if you have them. If you notice a sudden and constant pain in these areas, you should go and see your GP.
In the UK, women aged 50 – 70 are invited to have breast screening every 3 years as part of a national screening programme. It is rare for men to have breast cancer, so they are not invited to be screened.
Breast screening uses x-rays or sound waves to take pictures inside your breast and look for breast cancer. Breast cancer screening could be by one of 2 scans:
You can visit a GP about a symptom of breast cancer and ask for a physical examination (check) of the area at any age. If you are experiencing any symptoms it may be nothing to worry about, if in doubt you should get it checked out.
Especially if these are sudden changes to your body or if you’re worried about a symptom.
Secondary breast cancer is when breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body. The part of the body the cancer has spread to can affect these signs and symptoms.
Some of the most common parts of the body breast cancer can spread to are the lungs, brain, bones and liver. Some general symptoms of secondary breast cancer are:
Below are some frequently asked questions about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
It’s possible to have breast cancer without knowing for months or years before it’s noticed. Breast cancer can progress at different speeds. The slower it progresses, the more difficult it is to notice as signs and symptoms come more gradually.
This is why it’s important to check your chest or breasts monthly to understand how they usually feel. This way you should be able to notice any sudden changes more easily.
Remember you are not wasting anyone’s time or your GPs time by getting checked out if you’ve noticed a change.
Breast cancer can be symptomless in the early stages. If you do notice any sudden changes with your chest or breast, you should speak to your GP. Mammograms (breast screenings) are effective at finding breast cancer, even if it is symptomless.
There are many potential signs that breast cancer has spread, including:
If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, there are lots of different scans and tests you can have to see if it has spread.
The most common first symptom of breast cancer is a lump or thickening of the skin in the breast, chest or underarm that people notice. But, there are other signs and symptoms of breast cancer to be aware of such as
If you notice any of the signs and symptoms mentioned you should contact your GP.
It’s normal to have pimples on your chest and it’s rarely a sign of breast cancer. They’re much more likely a sign of an infection or skin condition.
Everyone’s chests, breasts and nipples can be different, whether they’re big, small, pimply, hairy or pulled. If your nipples have always looked and felt like they are, then you don’t need to worry. However, if you notice any sudden or unusual changes to your nipples, you should speak to your GP.
How quickly breast cancer develops can depend on the type of breast cancer.
Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type (it’s called this because the breast can look red, swollen and inflamed). This tends to develop more quickly than other more common types of breast cancer.
It’s important to check your chest once every month so you can get more familiar with how your chest looks and feels, so you can notice any changes more easily.
Lumps can look and feel different on different people. If in doubt, get it checked out.
This may depend on the type of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer. It tends to develop quicker than other more common types of breast cancer.
It’s really important to check your chest every month, and act quickly if you notice any unusual changes. The first step is to contact the GP.
Worried about a symptom?
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We updated this information in April 2024. We will look at it again in April 2027.