Undoubtedly, the awareness about the usual signs of breast cancer has increased over the years. Many people now know that lumps in the breast or changes in the skin can be signs of breast cancer. However, there are still many signs of the disease that are not so common, and not many women are aware of them.

Here’s a list of such not-so-common symptoms of breast cancer that one must know:

1. Any change in the size of the breast
Changes in the size of the breast can occur due to several reasons–pregnancy and mensuration being some of the common ones. But if one notices any asymmetrical change, which means the change affects one breast more than the other, it should be a warning sign. In some cases, the breast with the changes can feel larger or heavier than the other breast. Sometimes, in rarer cases, there can also be a reduction in one of the breasts.

2. Bloody discharge from the nipple
If one notices a stain of blood on their bra, it should not be ignored. It can be a sign of breast cancer. However, in most cases, this discharge does not mean anything harmful. There are several reasons behind this bloody discharge. Some of the common reasons include intraductal papilloma, duct ectasia, and sometimes it could be because of the clothes one wears.

3. Breast warmth
Cancers are not commonly associated with symptoms such as fever. However, there is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer, known as inflammatory breast cancer or IBC, which makes the breast feel warm, red, itchy, swollen, and uncomfortable. The arm on the side of the affected breast will also develop swollen lymph nodes which also pain and become red. In the case of IBC, fever can also be a symptom. IBC is not the same as most types of breast cancer. It does not form any lumps and does not lead to any changes in the breast that can be detected in a mammogram.

4. Retraction of nipples
Nipple inversion or retraction are terms used to describe a condition in which the nipples turn inward or become flat. Perhaps in some cases, nipple inversion can be there since birth. But in any other case, changes in the nipple should be taken seriously since it can be a sign of breast cancer. Some of the types of breast cancer that can affect the nipples and areola are IBC, invasive ductal carcinoma, and ductal carcinoma in situ.

5. Itching of the breasts
There are a lot of reasons why breasts itch–poor fabric of the bra is one of the common ones. It is normal to itch sometimes. However, if the itch becomes persistent, it should raise an alarm. Itchy breasts can be one of the early signs of several types of breast cancers such as IBC and Paget’s disease of the nipple.