2. Bloody nipple discharge

Bleeding from the nipple may be limited and difficult to see, but if blood stains appear in a woman’s bra, pay attention. Clear or milky secretions may result from normal physiologic changes during pre-pubertal stages. But if the secretions are unusual, bloody or continuous, speak to a health care provider.

3. Breast dimpling or thickening

Known in the medical community as peau d’orange (a French term meaning skin of an orange), any dimpling or thickening of breast skin that resembles an orange rind is a red flag. These symptoms are often associated with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare but aggressive disease that usually does not involve a lump and may not be detected by a mammogram. IBC symptoms are caused by cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin.

Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms include: