October is not only my birthday month, it’s so many other things. Menopause Awareness Month. Domestic Violence Awareness Month. National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month.
Time-to-change-over-your-closet-month. Leaf-peeping month. (These two are my faves.)
But the one that stands out the most to me, as a breast cancer survivor, is, of course, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
I can’t let the month go by without paying heed to something that is not always front and center: The fact that breast cancer is not always associated with a lump.
Not every lump is breast cancer and not every breast cancer starts with a lump.
But that’s not to say you should ever ignore a lump. In fact, I don’t like to say that I literally “saved someone else’s life” by insisting she get her lump checked out. But I well might have.
Years ago, while my son was having a playdate with a friend from third grade, his mother confided in me.
“I just came from a checkup,” she said. “I went to get a breast lump checked out.”
My antennae went up.
“My doctor said it was nothing to worry about,” she continued.
I thought back to my own diagnosis, realizing that no one is too young, too healthy or too unlikely to get breast cancer, and I shared that with her.
“Please,” I said, “insist it gets properaly evaluated.”
She did - and was glad she had. A biopsy revealed a malignancy. After a mastectomy and chemotherapy, she went on with her life Speaking up may have saved her life. But she shouldn’t have had to push to have her concern taken seriously.
This is all to say - if you feel something, say something! You know your body best, and a new lump deserves to be taken seriously.
And you don’t need a medical degree to know that something has changed in your body.
If you feel dismissed, here are some questions to ask:
What explains this lump?
What tests do I need?
Should I get it biopsied? If not, why?
When should I come back if it’s still there?
Should your concerns not be addressed, or are unresolved, seek a second opinion, or ask for a referral to a breast specialist. You deserve to be heard, and to leave with a clear plan for how to proceed.
And know this:
I’ve heard stories from women who develop a lump after having a clear mammogram, and think that since the mammogram was just done and clear, there’s no need to worry.
But that’s no guarantee: even if you’ve recently had a normal mammogram, never ignore a new change.
Speaking of changes, a lump is not the only change to pay attention to. There may be other changes associated with breast cancer, like:
Dimpling or puckering. The skin may pull inward, or resemble an orange peel (due to tissue thickening and swollen lymphatic channels).
Redness or discoloration. Your skin may appear pink, red, or purple (if you have light skin), or darker or bruised (if you have brown or black skin).
Flaking or crusting. There may be dry, scaly, or thickened skin around your breast or nipple (that can resemble eczema).
Retraction or inversion of the nipple. Your nipple that used to point outward may suddenly turn, pull inward, or appear flattened.
Unusual discharge leaking from the nipple. Look out for clear, bloody, spontaneous leaking, or fluid coming from a single breast without squeezing.
Click here for a complete list of warning signs of breast cancer from the CDC.
On another note…
Breast changes are common before, during, and after menopause, which is a good reason to watch this video that I did with my former colleague, Shaun Chavis.
A little spoiler alert: Shaun lost a lot of weight - 140 pounds! - and with that, along the way, created a whole new look and wardrobe for herself. She chronicles it all in her fabulous, fun newsletter re:dressing (don’t you just love that name?)
Shaun and I spoke with bra fit expert Frieda Moeun (yes, there is such a thing!), who explained why the right fit matters, how it can change throughout your life, and why so many women wear the wrong bra size. For example, I never knew that measuring your band size starts with measuring around your rib cage, just beneath your breasts.
Watch our conversation here - I guarantee your learn a LOT. (And remind me to ditch those too-big eyeglasses the next time I’m on camera!)
🩷🩺🎗️Until next time…stay healthy, wellthy and GET YOUR MAMMOGRAM!
And now, a little musical encouragement - because a reminder like that might as well come with backup singers!