Every October, the world marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the pink ribbon appears on buildings, hospital walls and social media feeds. But awareness only helps when it turns into action: a woman noticing a change in her breast, taking it seriously, and getting it checked early. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, and far too many women still reach a doctor only when the disease is advanced. This guide explains the early signs of breast cancer, how to do a breast self-examination at home, which screening test is right for your age, and what actually happens if a lump is found.
What Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed every year from 1 to 31 October. Its purpose is simple: to help women recognise the warning signs of breast cancer, understand their risk, and get screened before symptoms become serious. The pink ribbon has become its symbol worldwide, standing for early detection, support for patients and hope for survivors.
For families in Nagpur and across Vidarbha, the month is a useful reminder to have a conversation that many households avoid. Mothers often put everyone else’s health first. October is a good time to make sure the women in your family know what to look for and feel comfortable seeing a doctor about it.
Why Breast Cancer Awareness Matters for Indian Women
Breast cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in India, and according to the World Health Organization it is the most common cancer in women worldwide. What makes the Indian picture worrying is not only the number of cases but the stage at which they are found. A large share of women are diagnosed only when the tumour is already large or has spread to the lymph nodes.
The reasons are familiar: a painless lump that is ignored because it does not hurt, embarrassment about discussing the breast, fear of the diagnosis, and the belief that cancer only affects older women or those with a family history. None of these should delay a check-up. When breast cancer is detected early, while it is still small and limited to the breast, treatment is simpler, breast-conserving surgery is often possible, and most women are treated successfully.
Early Signs of Breast Cancer You Should Never Ignore
Most breast changes turn out to be harmless, such as cysts or fibroadenomas. But any new change should be examined by a doctor. These are the breast cancer symptoms to watch for:
- A new lump or thickening in the breast or in the armpit, especially one that feels hard and does not move easily.
- A change in the size or shape of one breast.
- Dimpling or puckering of the skin, sometimes looking like the skin of an orange.
- A nipple that has newly turned inwards or changed position.
- Discharge from the nipple, particularly if it is blood-stained and comes from one breast only.
- Redness, scaling or a rash on the nipple or breast skin that does not heal.
- Persistent pain in one specific spot of the breast that does not come and go with your periods.
How to Do a Breast Self-Examination at Home
A breast self-examination takes about five minutes and helps you learn what is normal for your body, so you notice a change early. Do it once a month, about a week after your period ends, when the breasts are least tender. After menopause, pick a fixed date each month.
- Look in the mirror. Stand with your arms by your sides, then raise them above your head. Check both breasts for changes in size, shape, skin texture or the nipples.
- Press your hands on your hips. Tightening the chest muscles can make dimpling or puckering easier to see.
- Lie down and feel each breast. Use the flat pads of your three middle fingers, with your opposite arm behind your head. Move in small circles, covering the whole breast from the collarbone to below the breast and from the armpit to the breastbone.
- Use light, medium and firm pressure at each spot to feel tissue near the skin and deeper down.
- Check the armpits and gently squeeze each nipple to look for any lump or discharge. Many women find it easier to repeat the feeling step in the shower with soapy hands.
Self-examination is a habit of awareness, not a replacement for a doctor’s examination or a screening test. If you notice anything new, book a consultation rather than waiting for the next month’s check.
Breast Cancer Screening: Which Test and When?
Screening means testing women who have no symptoms, so that cancer is found before it can be felt. The right breast cancer screening test depends on your age and your risk. As a general guide:
| Who | What is usually advised |
|---|---|
| Women in their 20s and 30s | Monthly self-examination and a clinical breast examination by a doctor during routine check-ups |
| Women aged 40 and above | A screening mammogram, usually every one to two years, along with a clinical breast examination |
| Women with a strong family history or a known BRCA gene change | Screening may start earlier and may include breast MRI; your doctor will plan this with you |
| Any woman with a new lump or symptom | Do not wait for routine screening; see a doctor for a diagnostic breast ultrasound or mammogram |
Mammography is a low-dose X-ray of the breast and remains the main screening test for women over 40. In younger women, whose breast tissue is denser, a breast ultrasound is often the first test when there is a lump. Your doctor will advise which test suits you; screening schedules differ slightly between guidelines, so the right interval is a decision to make with your doctor.
Know Your Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Having a risk factor does not mean you will get breast cancer, and many women who develop it have no obvious risk factor at all. Knowing your risk simply helps you and your doctor decide how closely to watch.
Risk factors you cannot change
- Increasing age, especially after 40
- A mother, sister or daughter with breast or ovarian cancer
- Inherited gene changes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2
- Periods starting early or menopause starting late
- Previous radiation therapy to the chest
Risk factors you can influence
- Excess weight, particularly after menopause
- Physical inactivity
- Alcohol and tobacco use
- Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy without medical review
- Having a first child later in life or not breastfeeding; breastfeeding offers some protection
Common Breast Cancer Myths, and the Facts
- Myth: Only women with a family history get breast cancer. Fact: Most women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of it.
- Myth: A lump that does not hurt is not dangerous. Fact: Early breast cancer is usually painless, which is exactly why it gets ignored.
- Myth: A biopsy makes cancer spread. Fact: A needle biopsy is a safe, standard test and is the only way to confirm a diagnosis and plan the right treatment.
- Myth: Breast cancer always means losing the breast. Fact: When it is found early, many women can have breast-conserving surgery that removes only the tumour.
- Myth: Men cannot get breast cancer. Fact: It is rare, but men can get it too, and a lump near the nipple in a man should also be checked.
What Happens If a Breast Lump Is Found?
Finding a lump is frightening, but the steps that follow are clear and are designed to give you an answer quickly. Doctors use what is called triple assessment:
- Clinical examination of both breasts and armpits by a specialist.
- Imaging with a breast ultrasound, a mammogram, or both, depending on your age.
- A core needle biopsy, where a small sample of tissue is taken under local anaesthesia and examined in the pathology lab.
If cancer is confirmed, further tests help find its stage and type, including whether it is hormone receptor positive or HER2 positive. Treatment is then planned around you. It may include surgery (breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy, often with sentinel lymph node biopsy so that only the necessary lymph nodes are removed), chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapy. Most women need a combination, and the sequence matters, which is why the plan should be made by a team that includes a surgical oncologist.
Breast Cancer Care at Alright Hospital, Nagpur
At Alright Hospital, breast concerns are seen by Dr. Poorna Shetti Rode, Consultant Oncologist, who completed her super-specialty training in surgical oncology (DrNB) at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai. Her work includes breast cancer surgery and sentinel node biopsy, and she works alongside the hospital’s radiology and pathology departments so that examination, imaging and biopsy results come together in one plan.
If you have noticed a lump or any of the changes listed above, or you are over 40 and have never had a breast check, this Breast Cancer Awareness Month is the right time to book a consultation. You can speak to us in English, Hindi or Marathi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed every year in October, from 1 to 31 October. It focuses on early detection, screening and support for women affected by breast cancer.
The most common first sign is a new, usually painless lump in the breast or armpit. Other early signs include a change in breast shape, skin dimpling, nipple inversion or nipple discharge.
Most women are advised to start screening mammograms from around 40, usually every one to two years. Women with a strong family history or a BRCA gene change may need to start earlier. Monthly self-examination can begin in your twenties.
No. Most breast lumps are benign, such as fibroadenomas or cysts. But every new lump should be examined by a doctor, because only an examination and the right test can rule out cancer.
A mammogram can be briefly uncomfortable because the breast is pressed for a few seconds, but it is not usually painful. Booking it a week after your period can make it more comfortable.
When breast cancer is found at an early stage, most women are treated successfully. This is why early detection through awareness and screening matters so much.
This article is for general awareness and does not replace a consultation. If you notice any change in your breast, please see a doctor.
