Know the Signs of Breast Cancer
- Karli Durrant, 34, was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer at 32 years old after doctors told her not to worry about a breast lump.
- Durrant’s advice for people who feel a lump in their breast is to visit a doctor immediately: “If they aren't concerned, ask for a second opinion or go private if you can. I feel like that really did save my life.”
- One of our experts recommends performing a monthly breast self-exam to help catch breast cancer.
- Talk to your doctor if you notice one or more of the following symptoms: a new lump in the breast, new swelling in the breast, changes to the nipple (such as puckering), flaking or redness in the breast or nipple, discharge (including blood) coming from the nipple and pain in the breast.
- Another breast cancer survivor told SurvivorNet that “being your own advocate is [her] number one piece of advice.”
When the mother of one first found a lump in her breast, she was “in the best possible health [she] could have been in.”
Read More"The doctor who examined me there said they weren't concerned either, but said I could have a scan if I didn't want to wait for my NHS appointment," Durrant said. "Just to rule it out, I decided to have the scan and pay the money to find out.
"As soon as they scanned the lump, I could see on their faces there and then it was breast cancer. He went from being joyous to sternly asking me 'how long have you had this?'"
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Durrant eventually received her official diagnosis of stage two breast cancer. According to Memorial Sloan Kettering, stage two breast cancer means the cancer “is in a limited region of the breast but has grown larger.” In Durrant’s case, her cancer had spread to three of her lymph nodes.
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For treatment, Durrant had surgery to remove all of the lymph nodes from under her arm followed by chemotherapy and radiation.
"The surgery was fine," she said. "It was more the active treatment afterwards that is really hard on you. I wouldn't wish that on even my worst enemy."
Today, Durrant is 34 and on the other side of her cancer treatment. She would never wish to repeat her experience, but she’s grateful for the lessons cancer gave her.
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"Before I was diagnosed, I was a bit of a scaredy cat and I never did anything adventurous," she said. "But now when there's anything scary or difficult, I say to myself 'look at what you've been through, you've literally faced your own mortality.'
"Now I just don't think I have any fear. As much as I don't wish to have had cancer, it has brought lots of positives into my life. It really has been life-changing."
In true warrior spirit, Durrant is teaming up with the CoppaFeel for a five-day trek through the French Alps. She hopes raising money for the charity will educate more people about the importance of self-exams.
"Go to your doctor immediately,” she advised people who find themselves feeling a lump. "If they aren't concerned, ask for a second opinion or go private if you can. I feel like that really did save my life.
“For all I know, if I’d left it and waited for my NHS appointment, it could have spread further… It's so important to check yourself, both women and men, and contact your doctor immediately if you have any concerns."
Looking for Signs of Breast Cancer
As we saw in the case above, breast self-exams can be key in catching breast cancer at its earliest stages.
According to SurvivorNet advisor Dr. Elizabeth Comen, the first step of breast cancer prevention and awareness requires women to feel comfortable with their breasts and know what normal looks and feels like for them.
Getting to Know Your Breasts with Self-Exams
“For some women, that may mean going to their doctor and walking through what a self-breast exam might feel like so that they know what normal breast tissue feels like, so that if they do feel anything abnormal whether it's a lump or discharge from the nipple that they know what to ask and what to look for," Dr. Comen explained.
Dr. Comen recommends performing a self-exam monthly, and the Mayo Clinic says the week after your period ends is usually the best time to do them. When performing a breast self-exam, SurvivorNet recommends you look for changes like:
- A new lump in the breast
- New swelling in the breast
- Changes to the nipple (such as puckering)
- Flaking or redness in the breast or nipple
- Discharge (including blood) coming from the nipple
- Pain in the breast
If you ever notice anything unusual with your breasts or the surrounding area, make sure you talk to a doctor promptly.
“If it’s a case of breast cancer, and you’re scheduling an appointment with your OB and you’re under 40, and they tell you to wait and see, don’t accept that because they’re not you,” stage one breast cancer survivor Tiffany Dyba told SurvivorNet.
“And that would be time to find another doctor, in my opinion, because you need somebody that’s going to really be on your side for this.
“And so I would say being your own advocate is my number one piece of advice.”
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