Symptom 5: A Lump in Your Breast
The presence of a lump in the breast is a symptom that is often associated with many types of breast cancer, including Paget’s disease. This lump can be any size but is often distinctly different from the surrounding breast tissue. The lump is usually detected during a self-breast examination or a routine mammogram, underlining the importance of these regular checks.
It’s important to note that not everyone with Paget’s disease will have a detectable lump in their breast. In fact, some studies suggest that approximately half of all patients diagnosed with Paget’s disease have no palpable lump. When present, the lump is usually situated in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast, but it can technically occur anywhere.
The lump associated with Paget’s disease tends to be firm and fixed. Unlike cysts or fibroadenomas, which are benign breast conditions, this lump does not move around freely within the breast. Instead, it’s fixed in one place, a characteristic that might help differentiate it from other benign lumps.
However, it’s also possible to have benign lumps in the breast. Conditions like fibrocystic breast changes, fibroadenomas, and simple cysts can cause lumps that are not cancerous. Therefore, finding a lump in the breast doesn’t always mean you have cancer. However, it’s always a good idea to get any new or unusual lump checked out by a healthcare professional to ensure that it’s benign.(5)
