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Breast Cancer Symptoms & Types

Some breast cancers never have symptoms. But symptoms can develop as the breast cancer grows. And different types of breast cancer can cause different symptoms. There are several types of breast cancer. The most common types start in the breast's milk passages (ducts) or milk glands. A rare type of breast cancer, doesn't cause a lump.

Learn more about the different types of breast cancer and their related symptoms so you can catch it as early as possible.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

As breast cancer grows, you might notice changes to your breast. You'll want to mention these signs to your primary care provider. And you may need testing to see if the symptoms are caused by breast cancer. Both women and men should watch for:

  • A lump or thickening (a mass, swelling, skin irritation, or distortion) in or near the breast or in the underarm area

  • A change in the size or shape of the breast

  • A change in the color or feel of the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple (dimpled, puckered, or scaly)

  • Nipple discharge, erosion, inversion (pointing inward), or tenderness

Screening Catches Breast Cancer Before Symptoms

Early breast cancer usually doesn't cause pain. And it may cause no breast cancer symptoms at all. That's why regular breast cancer screening, like a mammogram, is important. Mammograms are very good at uncovering breast cancer when it's tiny and long before it starts to cause symptoms.

Diagnosing Breast Cancer After Screening or Symptoms

If a mammogram shows something concerning, you might then need a diagnostic test. You might also need a diagnostic test if you develop symptoms of breast cancer.

Diagnosing breast cancer requires a biopsy procedure. This tells us for sure if a breast lump is cancer or something else.

Breast Cancer Types

There are many types of breast cancer. Sometimes a breast tumor can be a combination of types. 

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) 

This is the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS grows only in the ducts. It hasn't spread through the walls of the ducts into the tissue of the breast.

We can cure nearly all women with cancer at this stage. Often the best way to find DCIS early is with a mammogram.

Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS) 

This condition begins in the milk-making glands. It doesn't go through the wall of the lobules.

Although not a true cancer, having LCIS increases a woman's risk of getting cancer later. For this reason, if you have LCIS, you need to follow the screening guidelines for breast cancer.

Invasive (infiltrating) Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) 

This is the most common type of invasive breast cancer. It starts in a milk passage or duct, breaks through the wall of the duct, then invades the breast tissue. From there it can spread to other parts of the body. It accounts for about 8 out of 10 invasive breast cancers.

Invasive (infiltrating) Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) 

This cancer starts in the milk glands or lobules. It can spread to other parts of the body. About 1 out of 10 invasive breast cancers are of this type.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) 

This uncommon type of invasive breast cancer accounts for about 1% to 3% of all breast cancers. Cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin cause the inflammation. No single lump or tumor appears. Instead, this type of breast cancer makes a person's breast:

  • Larger
  • Firmer
  • Tender
  • Itchy
  • Red
  • Warm
  • Have a thick, pitted appearance that looks a lot like an orange peel

Providers can mistake this disease for an infection. Without a lump, mammograms can't always catch this cancer. These factors give this cancer a higher chance of spreading and a worsens the outlook. 

Men can get breast cancer, too. Until they reach puberty, the breast area in boys and girls develops in the same way. By the time boys reach their teens, however, hormones keep the breasts from developing. Like women, men have ducts and lobes in their breast area but in far smaller numbers.

New breast cancer diagnosis? Let's navigate this together.

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Causes of Breast Cancer

Although we still do not know what causes cancer, new and powerful options can successfully detect and fight breast cancer. The most important factor is catching cancer early, when it is most treatable — or closely monitoring women who may be at increased risk. Even more important is the chance to prevent cancer in some women who are known to have the highest risk for breast cancer.

As a NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, UVA offers both advanced cancer detection and treatment options, as well as personal support for you and your family.

Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
A Phase II Study of Ribociclib And Endocrine Treatment of Physician’s Choice for Locoregional Recurrent, Resected Hormone Receptor Positive HER2 Negative Breast Cancer (RaPhLRR Study)

The University of Virginia is conducting a clinical research study for adults ages 18 and over, who have recurrent breast cancer. The main reason for you to take part in this study is to find out if researchers can lower the chance of your breast cancer coming back again by adding a drug called ribociclib to the usual hormone therapy drugs. The usual approach for patients who are not in a study is to receive surgery and sometimes radiation followed by hormone therapy. Hormone therapy (also called endocrine therapy) are drugs that either lower estrogen levels or block estrogen receptors on breast cancer cells. Participants in this study will receive standard of care treatments as well as a drug called ribociclib with the endocrine therapy of your physician’s choice. Ribociclib is taken as a pill. Endocrine therapy is taken as a pill or given as a shot. You will have tests, exams and procedures that are part of your regular care and for study purposes. Also as part of routine care, you will be checked every 4 to 12 weeks to make sure your cancer hasn’t come back. You will receive ribociclib combined with endocrine therapy for up to 3 years. After that you will continue endocrine therapy alone for another 2 years (5 years total) as part of your regular care. The drugs will be stopped if your disease comes back or the side effects become too severe. Study-related procedures that are being done beyond your standard of care will be provided at no cost to you or your insurance. Additional information can be found here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05467891 [email protected]

A Randomized, Open-label, Phase 3 Study of Adjuvant Sacituzumab Govitecan and Pembrolizumab Versus Treatment of Physician’s Choice in Patients With Triple Negative Breast Cancer Who Have Residual Invasive Disease After Surgery and Neoadjuvant Therapy

The University of Virginia is participating in a clinical research study for adults ages 18 and over, who have early stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) without mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and who have cancer remaining after neoadjuvant treatment and surgery. This study will test an experimental drug named sacituzumab govitecan in combination with pembrolizumab compared to pembrolizumab with or without capecitabine. The purpose of this study is to see if this combination can delay the return of disease and improve other outcomes in participants with high-risk early stage TNBC compared to the standard treatment. Study-related procedures that are being done beyond your standard of care will be provided at no cost to you or your insurance. Additional information can be found here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05633654 [email protected]

A Phase IIa Study of Dendritic Cell Vaccines Against Her2/Her3 and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Asymptomatic Brain Metastasis from Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) or HER2+ Breast Cancer (HER2+BC).

The University of Virginia is participating in a clinical research study for adults ages 18 and over, who have either have breast cancer HER2+ Breast Cancer or Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) which is in an advanced stage and has metastasized to your brain. The purpose of this study is to test any good and bad effects of the study drug called Dendritic cell vaccines (DC1) and pembrolizumab. You will be on active treatment for approximately 2 years. During the first portion (Initial Treatment Phase), you will be treated with the Dendritic cell vaccine and pembrolizumab every three weeks. You will then be treated with pembrolizumab as a maintenance treatment. Once you have finished your treatment you will be contacted by phone every 6 months for 2 years by the research coordinator. Study-related procedures that are being done beyond your standard of care will be provided at no cost to you or your insurance. Additional information can be found here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04348747 [email protected]

Ph 3 Open-Label Randomized Study to Assess Efficacy/Safety of Camizestrant vs Standard Endocrine Therapy as Adj. Treatment for Patients with ER+/HER2- Early Breast Cancer at+Intermediate-High/High Risk of Recurrence Who Have Completed Definitive Locoregional Treatment and Have No Evidence of Disease

The University of Virginia is participating in a clinical research study for adults ages 18 and over, who have a ER+/HER2- early breast cancer with no evidence of residual disease following surgery. The objective of this study is to see if study therapy with Camizestrant is better at preventing disease recurrence (disease that comes back) than standard endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen, the drugs that you and other patients with early ER+/HER2- breast cancer are currently receiving). You could be on active treatment on this study for up to 7 years. Once you have completed the treatment portion of the study, you will enter the follow-up period for up to 6 years after your first dose of study treatment. Study-related procedures that are being done beyond your standard of care will be provided at no cost to you or your insurance. Additional information can be found here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05952557 [email protected] The (department, division name) seeks (insert as applies: adults/men/women/adolescents/children) ages (insert) with (insert condition) for a research study. The purpose of the study is (insert purpose of study - eg.to test the effectiveness of an investigational medicine; or to find out how stress effects blood pressure.) (Optional)You may be eligible for this study if: (insert brief eligibility criteria 3 or 4 top criteria and in lay language. Do not copy eligibility criteria from the protocol) Study involves (insert procedures-examples: taking an experimental medicine/placebo, blood draws, x rays, overnight stays,) (Insert x number of visits every x (weeks, months,) each visit lasting x amount of time or give range). Insert one of the following: Study-related (insert exams, tests and experimental medication) provided at no cost. or Participant’s insurance company will be billed for medication, test,s and procedures

The POWER II Trial: Seeking women ages 65 years or older with early-stage, estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer.

The POWER II trial is trying to see the effects of starting breast cancer medication called endocrine therapy (pre-ET) before breast cancer surgery in older women with early-stage ER+ breast cancer. The POWER II study aims to create individualized treatment plans for patients. The purpose is to see if patients who take pre-ET are less likely to receive too much or too little treatment. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: • Group 1: 90 days of pre-ET before breast cancer surgery • Group 2: Breast cancer surgery without pre-ET After surgery, all participants will decide with their doctors about whether to receive radiation and/or endocrine therapy. Before and after surgery, participants in both groups will fill out surveys that ask questions about how they tolerate medications and their feelings about their medical care choices. Participants in Group 1 may have 1-2 extra clinic visits. They will also have 1 planned phone call during pre-ET. Participants in both groups will be followed for 2 years after surgery. All study related treatments are standard of care. Participants and/or their insurance company will be billed for medication, tests, and procedures that take place throughout the study. Participants will choose if they would like any leftover tumor tissue that is collected for clinical care (such as at surgery) to be used for additional research purposes. More information can be found here: Clinicaltrials.gov Please contact [email protected] for any questions about the study.

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