Symptoms of the disease

• A breast lump, whether fixed or mobile. This is the most common symptom, for both women and men.

  Notes. Most bumps found in the breast, however, are not cancerous;

• benefits flows spontaneous from the nipple;
• A nipple retraction (the nipple is turned inward);
• A change ofskin appearance one breast: thickening or hardening (“orange peel”), unusual redness, warmth, change (peeling) of the skin around the nipple;
• Un unusual change in size or the shape of a breast.

People at risk 

A number of non-modifiable items increase the risk to have a breast cancer.

These elements of risk allow physicians to determine who could benefit most from the screening and preventive measures.

Main risk elements:

• Female gender. Less than 1% of breast cancer cases affect men and they are usually over 60 years old;
• Age. The disease very rarely affects women under the age of 30. About 85% of cases occur in 50 years or plus2;
• Family history. Having a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer or ovarian cancer increases your risk of getting it. From 5% to 10% of breast cancers are caused by an anomaly transmitted by theheredity. The main genes predisposing to breast (and ovarian) cancer are called BRCA1 and BRCA2. Normally, these genes protect against cancer. If they are defective, they can no longer perform their functions. There are tests to check whether a woman from a family at risk is herself a carrier of a mutation in one of these genes;
• Personal history. Having already had a breast cancer increases the risk of a second cancer forming;
• Have a risky lesion in the breast (diagnosed during a biopsy). Women with a risky lesion, such as atypical intracanal epithelial hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ, are more likely to develop breast cancer one day.

  Note. Note that the cyst in the breast is not a risk lesion. It does not increase the risk of breast cancer;

• Nulliparity or late pregnancy. Not having had a child or having given birth only after the age of 35.

Other risk elements:

• Increased exposure to natural estrogens. The early onset of the first menstruation (before the age of 12) or late menopause (after the age of 55);
• Radiotherapy treatments. It is known that women who have received high doses of radiation chest (high intensity x-rays) are more likely to develop breast cancer, especially if radiation therapy was started before the age of 30.