3 common diagnostic methods for breast cancer

Common diagnostic methods for breast cancer include the following 3 types.

1. Early diagnosis

Early breast cancer can be diagnosed from the skin surface and nipple symptoms. Most benign lesions have no skin changes, no nipple inversion (except congenital nipple inversion), and a few patients have nipple secretions, which are mostly water-like and milk-like, such as cystic breast hyperplasia and plasma cell mastitis; malignant lesions have lumps, "orange peel-like" and "dimple-like" changes around the skin, nipple inversion (except congenital nipple inversion), and nipple secretions are mostly bloody, light yellow, and serum-like discharge.

2. Diagnosis based on the course of disease

From the growth rate point of view, benign lesions grow slowly, with a course of one to several years, while malignant lesions grow rapidly, and may grow to the size of a fist in a few months. The above-mentioned benign and malignant lesions are distinguished from each other in terms of morphology, activity, skin, nipples, texture, growth rate, etc., and clinically, they must be combined with other signs and symptoms for comprehensive analysis to make a correct diagnosis.

3. Perform examination and diagnosis at the best time

For patients with breast disease who are initially diagnosed, if the physical examination is not satisfactory, the patient can be asked to cooperate and undergo another examination at the best time, such as around the 10th day of the menstrual cycle, to avoid interference caused by physiological changes in the breast during the menstrual cycle. This will allow a more accurate diagnosis of breast cancer.