But all the symptoms of breast cancer, for example breast lumps, breast change, change of color, red spots, rashes and swelling can also be signs of other diseases, not necessarily breast cancer - infections, hormones, cysts , they all have the exact same signs.
So you can't be sure until you have a breast cancer diagnosis that is established by the doctors after a thorough process of examination and tests. So the first step on the path of having the diagnosis established is to go to your GP and if they agree that there is something to worry about they will send you to a specialist. Generally the general practitioners are able to know if a breast lump is cancer or not because they are trained to recognize the difference.
So first of all you will have a breast examination performed by them. Then there may be another process called Fine Needle Aspiration or Citology , gaian ny the GP, who uses a long thin needle to extract some fluid from the lump. If the liquid is clear, transparent then the lump is surely a cyst, because they are filled with liquid, so there is no cancer. If the liquid is full of blood, then it's probably cancer.
But the final decision in establishing the breast cancer diagnosis belongs to the results of the biopsy. This biopsy is surgery during which the doctor takes a sample of the tissue in the breast for examining it under the microscope to see if there are cancer cells there or just some other type of illness. Most of the times the lump is removed totally during this surgical procedure.
There may be also a sentinel node biopsy of a node in the armpit to see if the breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
But sometimes the women in case do not feel any kind of signs or symptoms that could show them the presence of breast cancer. Still, the cancer is detected when they have their regular screenings and mammograms. Normally all women after 40 are indicated to have an annual mammogram or screening test in order to identify an eventual breast cancer. Statistics say that this prophilactic measure has detected a big number of breast cancer cases in the incipient stage that would have been discovered a lot later otherwise, with more serious consequences.
These mammograms or screening tests will show on the image if there is something strange in the breast and there will be some more tests done before establishing the diagnosis. Here are some tests that are made for breast cancer suspicion: ultrasound, digitally assisted mammography, computer aided detection, MRI, PET scan, electrical impedance scanning, image guided breast biopsy, ductal lavage, etc.
After the doctor id certain that the diagnosis is breast cancer, this diagnosis must also include the type of cancer, the stage and many other details. After that they will establish the treatment to follow in order to get the best results.