Breast Cancer: Do You Know The Signs?
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Breast Cancer: Do You Know The Signs?

Beyond screenings: Detecting breast cancer begins with you

While breast cancer account for 1 in 3 cancers in women in the United States, it can occur in people of all genders. In fact, the National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates 310,720 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2024.

While regular screenings are an important step in detecting cancer, being familiar with your breast tissue and knowing what's normal for you can help you identify any concerning changes between screenings.

Here’s what to look for:

Breast Lumps

The most common and well-known sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast tissue. While not all lumps are cancerous, it's important to have any new lumps evaluated by a healthcare professional. Cancerous lumps tend to be:

  • Painless

  • Hard

  • Have irregular edges

However, breast cancer lumps can also be soft, round, tender, or even painful.

Changes in Breast Appearance

Breast cancer can cause visible changes to the breast, including:

  • Swelling of all or part of the breast

  • Skin dimpling (often resembling an orange peel)

  • Changes in size or shape

  • Redness, dryness, flaking, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin

Nipple Changes

Pay attention to any changes in your nipples, such as:

  • Nipple retraction (turning inward)

  • Pain in the nipple area

  • Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)

Skin Changes

Breast cancer can affect the skin of the breast, causing:

  • Irritation or dimpling

  • Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast

  • Thickening or swelling of part of the breast

Pain

While most breast cancers are not painful in the early stages, some people may experience:

  • Breast pain

  • Tenderness in a specific area

Lymph Node Changes

Breast cancer can spread to nearby lymph nodes before it's detectable in the breast itself. Look out for:

  • Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or near the collarbone

Other Symptoms

In some cases, breast cancer may cause:

  • Changes in breast texture

  • A flat or indented area on the breast

  • Differences in temperature between breasts

If you notice any of the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately.  

 

Knowing what to look for does not take the place of having regular screenings for breast cancer that can often identify breast cancer before symptoms like those noted above appear.

If you’re not sure if you’re due for an annual screening, contact your doctor today. Finding breast cancer early gives you a better chance of successful treatment.

Breast Health NURSE Navigator:  An ally in your time of need.

A diagnosis of breast cancer can turn your world upside down. There are suddenly new terms and new care paths to navigate all while coming to grips with your diagnosis. The nurse navigator will be a constant presence and coordinator of the social, emotional and educational needs of the patient and family members.  As a clinical navigator for breast health, the Nurse Navigator also provides valuable support and information to people concerned with the health of their breasts. 

SVMC’s Breast Health and Imaging Center is pleased to offer the care and support of a full-time Breast Health Navigator to all patients who desire her assistance.

Seline Skoug, RN, MS helps patients navigate the healthcare system to ensure patients have a smooth journey through diagnostic imaging, breast biopsies and if needed transition to the Cancer Center team by providing:

  • Guidance through screening and diagnostic exams

  • Education

  • Support

  • Works with a multi-disciplinary team for your care.

To learn more about how Seline can help you or a loved one, contact SVMC’s Breast Health and Imaging Center at 802.440.4240. 


Malcolm Paine, MD, FACOG is a member of the Obstetrics and Gynecology team at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, Vermont.

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COVID-19 Vaccine for Those Pregnant or Nursing

Here are the facts you need to know to make a good decision about whether or not to recieve the COVID-19 vaccine: 

  • During the COVID-19 pandemic we found out that pregnant women with COVID-19 disease are more likely to get a very severe infection.  According to the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, they are three times more likely to have to go to an intensive care unit, two to three times more likely to need advanced life support and a breathing tube, and sadly, they have a small increased risk of death due to COVID-19. They may have worse pregnancy outcomes, such as pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and preterm birth. It is difficult to know yet whether COVID infection causes these outcomes or whether they happened at the same time by chance.
  • Similarly, COVID-19 can cause chronic inflammation, which could decrease fertility in both men and women.
  • The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has provided Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine. It is recommended for everyone over the age of 16 who has not had an allergic reaction to the ingredients in the vaccine. Research has shown that the COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 as soon as 28 days after the booster vaccine. These agencies directed all their effort to this work, day and night, which is how the vaccine was approved for use so quickly. No steps were skipped. 
  • It is not possible to get COVID infection from the vaccine. The virus is not in the vaccine.  It is like the flu shot, which exposes the body to something that looks like the part of the virus, so our bodies do the natural process of making antibodies to protect against disease. 
  • Many people have minor side effects, like tiredness, fever, muscle pain, headache, and pain where the shot was given. They could last a few days.  A few people feel very unwell. Having symptoms is a sign that the vaccine is working, and antibodies are being made.
  • Pregnant women were not allowed to be part of the research, which is very common for medical research trials. There were no reports of negative outcomes among the trial participants who became pregnant during the trial.
  • The vaccine does use a new technology called mRNA.  Two shots are required 3 weeks apart. Scientists believe that the mRNA can’t get into the placenta or the breast milk. The same kind of technology made vaccine against Ebola disease.  It has been given to pregnant and breastfeeding women.  No problems for mom or baby were found from this vaccine.
  • The vaccine does not cause birth defects or infertility. While the spike proteins on the virus and those found on the cells of the placenta are similar, they do not share enough amino acid sequences for the immune system to become confused.
  • The vaccine should also be offered to those who are breastfeeding/lactating. Like pregnant individuals, those who were breastfeeding were not included in the clinical trials for the vaccine. According to the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the very small safety concerns, and you do not have to stop breastfeeding because you get the vaccine.

Experts trusted by your providers recommend strongly that pregnant women be encouraged to get the vaccine.  We can’t tell you whether to get the shot, but we trust that you will make the right decision for you and your baby. Here are some points to consider as you decide:

  • How many people are getting sick with COVID-19 in your community?
  • What is your personal risk of getting COVID-19 based on your job or other exposures?
  • What is your risk of getting very sick with COVID-19, and what is the possible harm to your baby? What other medical conditions could increase this risk? Diabetes, being overweight, having lung, kidney, heart or immune illnesses or taking medicine that depresses immune function ( like chemotherapy, methotrexate, prednisone). 
  • Consider how well the vaccine is reported to work. These vaccines work exceedingly well!
  • What are the risks to other people in your household if you get sick, especially if you are living with people at risk for serious illness, like the elderly.
  • How do you feel about the lack of scientific evidence about the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness for pregnant women?
  • How do you feel you would manage the reported side effects of the vaccine?

If you do get the vaccine:

  • Pregnant women who experience fever, either as a result of COVID-19 infector or following vaccination, should take acetaminophen (Tylenol) to treat fever, since a very high fever can harm a baby. A fever is far more likely as a result of COVID-19 infection than it is from vaccination.
  • Your health professional will give you information about enrolling in the V-Safe After Vaccination Health Checker. You can provide feedback on how the vaccine experience went for up to a week following your vaccination and get help with any concerns that may arise.

If you have questions, please ask your OB/GYN.

Whatever you choose, be sure to continue with the important prevention steps like avoiding visits with those outside your household, masking and distancing when in public, and washing your hands frequently.

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