7 Less-Common Symptoms Of Breast Cancer Doctors Say You Shouldn’t Ignore

If one of your nipples begins to look or feel different, it may be a cause for concern, experts tell Bustle. "Hardness of the nipple or retraction of the nipple that is asymmetric compared to the other side can be a sign of changes that need medical attention," Dr. Grumley tells Bustle. Nipple retraction, Dr. Waer explains, means the nipple "turning inward"; while most of our nipples naturally point out, some cancerous tumors can mean the nipple begins to be pulled into the breast tissue.

Nipple discharge is pretty common and isn't necessarily a cause for alarm. "Nipple discharge is a common complaint and is usually related to non-cancer-related causes," Dr. Grumley tells Bustle. However, both Dr. Grumley and Dr. Waer say that if your nipple starts discharging blood, it's a good idea to get it checked out. "When there is bloody nipple discharge, there is a small chance this may be an early sign of breast cancer and should be brought to the attention of a physician," Dr. Grumley says.

If you have a sharp, stabbing pain at a particular point in your breast or nipple, it may be a cause for concern. Dr. Waer explains that this is called "focal breast or nipple pain," and can be a signal of developing breast cancer. If it doesn't resolve and has no other apparent cause, it needs to be examined.

Everybody's breasts are different, but if you start to see some serious changes in the skin surface of your breast, it's a concern, experts tell Bustle. "Changes in the texture of the breast skin such as dimpling or puckering," Dr. Waer says, are a possible signal of breast cancer. Dr. Grumley explains why: "Dimpling of the skin may be an indication that there is a mass or cancer that is pulling on the skin." To examine your breasts for dimpling, she says, use a mirror, move your arms out to the side and overhead, and look carefully for marks that look like indents, dimples or puckers.

There are several reasons you may experience redness or swelling on your breasts, but if you experience thickening of the skin or a rash without any apparent cause, Dr. Waer tells Bustle, it needs to be checked out.

A rare symptom of breast cancer, Dr. Grumley says, is actually redness and swelling of the breast skin with an absence of pain. "Most swelling and redness of the breast is related to an infection," she tells Bustle. "However, infection is commonly associated with pain. Swelling and or redness not associated with pain should be evaluated for possible underlying issues. In very rare cases this can be a sign of cancer.”

We don't typically think of breast tissue as related to the armpits, but if you experience "swelling, pain or a mass in the armpit area," says Dr. Waer, it may actually be related to breast cancer. Swellings in the armpits may indicate that the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, which reside in the armpits. The American Cancer Society notes that lumps in these areas may appear before the breasts show any symptoms at all.

You likely know your own breasts pretty well — so if one of them begins to alter radically, you need to pay attention. A "sudden change in the size or shape of a breast," Dr. Waer says, is an unusual symptom of breast cancer, but it does happen. Breasts with cancerous masses inside can change shape as a tumor grows. These issues can also be caused by a benign tumor or cyst, so it's best to get a mammogram to have them investigated.

The emphasis placed by TV shows and movies on breast lumps as the main symptom of cancer might have saved a lot of lives — but it also misses a lot of the picture, experts say. "Most women know that if they feel a mass they need to be evaluated," Dr. Grumley tells Bustle. "However, there are some less common symptoms that should prompt medical attention." If any of these symptoms appear and there isn't an obvious explanation, like an infection, it's a good idea to seek medical help as soon as you can.