Breast Cancer Symptoms: The Changes You Should Never Ignore
By Dr Daniel Gordon • 27, Jun 2026
When most people think about breast cancer, they think about finding a lump. But a lump is only one of the possible warning signs. Changes to the nipple, skin, shape or size of the breast, and even a swelling in the armpit, can all need further investigation.
In the first of a four-part video series with Dr Liz O’Riordan, I explore the symptoms of breast cancer and the changes people should know about. Liz is a former breast surgeon who has herself been diagnosed with breast cancer three times. Together, we discuss what these changes might mean and when you should speak to your GP.
The most important message is simple: get to know what is normal for you and act when something changes.
Watch the full video below, or keep reading for a clear guide to the breast cancer symptoms and changes you should know about.
For more health advice and interviews, visit The Health Perspective on YouTube.
Breast cancer does not always make you feel unwell
One of the most difficult things to understand about breast cancer is that it often does not make you feel ill.
With some cancers, people may develop symptoms such as weight loss, persistent coughing, bleeding or a significant loss of energy. Many people diagnosed with breast cancer, however, continue to feel completely fit and well.
Liz describes cycling up mountains in Italy shortly before her diagnosis. She felt healthy. She was an experienced breast surgeon. She still did not realise that the lump she had found was cancer.
Feeling well does not mean that a breast change should be ignored.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with approximately 59,400 people diagnosed each year. Although it is much more common in women, men can also develop it.
Is every breast lump cancer?
No. Most breast lumps are not cancerous.
Common non-cancerous causes include:
Fibroadenomas
Fibroadenomas are harmless collections of glandular and fibrous breast tissue. They are particularly common in younger women and may feel like a smooth, firm marble that moves slightly beneath the skin.
They do not normally become cancerous, although any new lump should still be assessed properly rather than diagnosed through touch alone.
Breast cysts
Cysts are fluid-filled sacs within the breast. They are particularly common during the 30s and 40s, when hormone levels may fluctuate.
A cyst may feel smooth, tense or tender, rather like a small balloon beneath the skin. Some become more uncomfortable before a period and then reduce as hormone levels change.
Cysts are usually harmless, but it is not possible to confirm this confidently without appropriate assessment and, when necessary, imaging.
Normal hormonal changes
Breasts naturally change throughout the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, while breastfeeding and around menopause. They may temporarily become lumpier, heavier or more sensitive.
The difficulty is that a cancerous lump cannot always be reliably distinguished from a harmless one by how it feels.
Most benign breast lumps are smooth and clearly defined. Cancerous lumps may feel harder, more irregular or less mobile. However, these are not rules you should rely on at home.
Any new breast or armpit lump should be checked by a GP. Most will not be cancer, but examination and imaging may be needed to establish what they are.
Can younger women develop breast cancer?
Yes.
Breast cancer is more common as people get older, but younger women can and do develop it. Being in your 20s, 30s or 40s does not automatically make a persistent breast change harmless.
Liz was 40 when she found her lump. She initially thought it was another cyst. Within two weeks, she was preparing for chemotherapy.
You should not feel that you are wasting anyone’s time by asking for a proper assessment. When a new lump remains present, grows or feels different from the surrounding breast tissue, it needs to be taken seriously regardless of age.
What other breast cancer symptoms should you look for?
The key word throughout our conversation is change.
Breasts are naturally different from one another. Liz describes them as “sisters, not twins”. One may sit lower, feel slightly different or be a different size.
What matters is noticing something that is new or unusual for your body.
A nipple that suddenly turns inwards
Some people naturally have one or both nipples pointing inwards. They may also move in and out in response to temperature or stimulation. This can be completely normal.
A nipple that has recently become inverted and remains pulled in, however, needs assessment. Occasionally, a growth behind the nipple can pull it back into the breast.
Changes to the position, shape or appearance of a nipple should be discussed with your GP.
Nipple discharge
Nipple discharge can be alarming, but many forms are harmless.
The breast contains ducts that carry milk towards the nipple. Even when someone is not breastfeeding, small amounts of fluid can collect within them. This discharge may appear white, cream, yellow, green or brown.
Frequently squeezing the nipple can stimulate further discharge, so repeatedly checking it may make the problem continue.
Discharge should be assessed when it:
Contains blood
Is completely clear and watery
Comes from only one nipple
Appears without squeezing
Continues or is accompanied by another breast change
Blood staining inside a bra, nightdress or pyjama top should not be ignored.
A persistent nipple rash
Eczema and irritation around the nipple are common. They may be caused by sensitive skin, washing products, clothing or other forms of dermatitis.
A simple moisturiser or prescribed steroid treatment will often improve ordinary eczema. A rash affecting one nipple that does not settle with appropriate treatment, however, needs further assessment.
A rare condition called Paget’s disease of the nipple can initially resemble eczema. The skin may become persistently itchy, inflamed, crusted or ulcerated.
A lasting one-sided nipple rash should be examined rather than repeatedly treated without reviewing the diagnosis.
Dimpling or puckering of the breast
Dimpling can be one of the less recognised signs of breast cancer.
Breast tissue is connected to the chest wall by bands of supporting tissue. A cancer can sometimes pull on these structures, causing a small indentation or area of puckering in the skin.
The change may only become visible when you:
Raise your arms
Place your hands on your hips
Press your hands into your hips to tense the chest muscles
Turn slightly and examine the breast from different angles
This is why breast awareness involves looking as well as feeling.
Some cancers, including lobular breast cancer, do not always form a clearly defined lump. They may grow more diffusely through the breast and cause a change in shape, firmness or skin contour instead.
Any unexplained dimpling or puckering should be checked.
Skin that resembles orange peel
Skin that becomes thickened, swollen or pitted like the surface of an orange is sometimes known medically as peau d’orange.
This can occur when lymphatic vessels within the skin become blocked. It may be associated with inflammatory breast cancer, a rare form of breast cancer that can develop differently from more typical breast tumours.
The breast may also become:
Swollen
Warm
Painful
Firm or heavy
Red, darkened or discoloured
Redness may be less obvious on brown or black skin, where the area may instead appear darker, purple or reddish-brown.
Redness, swelling or symptoms that resemble mastitis
Mastitis is inflammation of the breast and commonly occurs during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It may cause warmth, redness, swelling, pain and flu-like symptoms.
Antibiotics are often appropriate when bacterial mastitis is suspected. However, symptoms that do not begin to improve after treatment need to be reviewed.
Inflammatory breast cancer can sometimes resemble mastitis. It is especially important to investigate persistent inflammatory breast changes in someone who is not pregnant or breastfeeding.
The message is not that every red or painful breast is cancer. Most are not. But treatment that is not working should prompt reconsideration rather than repeated courses of the same medication.
A change in breast size or shape
One breast becoming persistently larger, smaller, firmer or differently shaped can be significant.
This might first become apparent because:
A bra suddenly fits differently
One breast appears heavier or lower
The breast contour has changed
The nipple sits in a different position
One side feels noticeably firmer
Natural asymmetry is extremely common. A new and lasting change is what deserves attention.
A lump or swelling in the armpit
Breast cancer can sometimes first present as an enlarged lymph node in the armpit.
Lymph nodes sit deep within the armpit, above the area where most people shave. They may feel like a firm bean or chickpea beneath the tissue.
There are many non-cancerous causes of armpit lumps. Lymph nodes commonly swell during infections, while shaving can cause inflamed follicles, boils or cysts close to the surface of the skin.
A skin infection is often red, tender and superficial. An enlarged lymph node generally feels deeper.
A persistent unexplained swelling in the breast, chest or armpit should be checked by your GP.
Is breast pain a symptom of cancer?
Breast pain is common and, by itself, is not usually caused by breast cancer.
Hormonal pain often affects both breasts and may become more noticeable before a period or during perimenopause. It can make the breasts feel heavy, tender and extremely sensitive.
Pain felt along the outer or lower breast may also come from the muscles, ribs, neck, shoulders or upper back rather than the breast tissue itself.
However, pain should be assessed when it:
Persists rather than settling
Remains in one specific area
Is accompanied by a lump or another breast change
Is getting worse
Is causing significant concern
You do not need to decide whether pain is serious before contacting a doctor. That is what the assessment is for.
Can men develop breast cancer?
Yes. Although male breast cancer is uncommon, it is real.
Men can develop:
A lump beneath or close to the nipple
Nipple discharge or bleeding
A nipple that changes position
Skin changes
Swelling in the chest or armpit
Bleeding from the nipple can sometimes be mistaken for friction caused by running or exercise clothing. A persistent nipple or chest change should not simply be assumed to be irritation.
Men should seek medical advice about unexplained breast or nipple symptoms in exactly the same way women should.
How often should you check your breasts?
There is no need to examine your breasts obsessively or follow an elaborate medical technique.
The aim is to become familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel. Checking around once a month can help you notice a genuine change without creating a cycle of constant reassurance-seeking.
Look and feel across:
The whole breast
The area up towards the collarbone
The tissue towards the armpit
The nipple and surrounding skin
The armpit itself
If you have periods, the breasts may be less tender and lumpy around the middle of your cycle. However, choosing a regular date you can remember is more useful than repeatedly forgetting to check.
You can examine yourself in the shower, while getting dressed or lying down. The exact setting matters less than doing it consistently and knowing your normal.
What if checking your breasts makes you anxious?
Breast awareness should protect your health, not consume your thoughts.
For some people, a monthly check feels like ordinary self-care. For others, it can trigger significant health anxiety. They may begin checking several times a day, repeatedly pressing the same area and becoming increasingly frightened by normal breast tissue.
At the opposite extreme, some people avoid checking or attending screening because they are terrified of what might be found.
Both reactions are understandable.
Try to treat breast awareness as routine monthly maintenance rather than a daily search for cancer. Check once, notice whether anything has genuinely changed and then move on.
When anxiety prevents you from checking sensibly or leads to repeated checking, speak to your GP. Support such as cognitive behavioural therapy or counselling can help you manage the fear without neglecting your health.
You can also ask a GP or nurse to show you how to examine your breasts or arrange a clinical examination when you do not feel confident doing it yourself.
When should you see your GP?
Arrange an appointment if you notice:
A new lump or area of thickening
A swelling in the breast, chest or armpit
A nipple that has recently turned inwards
Bloody or clear nipple discharge
A persistent one-sided nipple rash
Dimpling or puckering
Orange-peel skin
Unexplained redness, heat or swelling
A lasting change in breast size or shape
Persistent localised pain
Any other change that is not normal for you
Most people referred to a breast clinic will not be diagnosed with cancer. Referral does not mean your doctor believes you definitely have it.
It means the change deserves proper investigation.
A breast clinic may use examination, mammography, ultrasound or a biopsy to determine what is causing the symptom. Finding breast cancer earlier can improve the chance of successful treatment and may reduce the amount of treatment needed.
Why breast changes need proper assessment
The real difficulty with breast symptoms is that harmless and serious changes can sometimes look or feel very similar.
A cyst may feel like a lump. Eczema may affect the nipple. Mastitis may cause redness and swelling. Most of the time, these symptoms will not be cancer. But neither you nor your doctor can always know the cause from appearance or examination alone.
That is why imaging and, occasionally, a biopsy matter. They replace uncertainty with evidence.
My advice is not to try to diagnose the change yourself. Notice it, describe it clearly and allow the right assessment to establish what is happening.
In most cases, the result will be reassuring. When it is not, getting the answer sooner gives you the best chance of receiving the right treatment at the right time.
Disclaimer
This blog post provides general information only. It is not intended to provide instruction and you should not rely on this information to determine a diagnosis, prognosis or course of treatment. It should not be used in place of a professional consultation with a doctor.
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Every effort is taken to ensure that the information contained in this website is accurate and complete. However, accuracy cannot be guaranteed – rapid advances in medicine may cause information contained here to become outdated, invalid or subject to debate.
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