Around 1 in 6 women eventually diagnosed with breast cancer initially go to their doctors with a symptom other than a lump, according to a new study conducted in England.
Women who have a symptom of breast cancer other than lumps are also more likely to wait to see a doctor, compared with women who do have lumps, the researchers found. That might put them at risk of worse outcomes if the cancer isn’t caught quickly.
“It’s crucial that women are aware that a lump is not the only symptom of breast cancer,” study leader Monica Koo, a doctoral candidate at University College London, said in a statement. “If they are worried about any breast symptoms, the best thing to do is to get it checked by a doctor as soon as possible.”