Are backaches a sign that you have breast cancer?
Breast cancer is not known to cause back pain. More common symptoms include a lump in the breast, changes in the skin around your breasts, and a change to your nipple.
Breast cancer can spread by pain in the back or elsewhere. This is metastatic cancer.
Cancer can spread to the bones, weakening them and getting into other parts of the body. A fractured spinal bone or tumor pressing on the spine could cause pain in the back.
It is important to keep in mind that back pain can be a common condition. Conditions such as:
muscle strains
arthritis
disc issues
Your doctor should be consulted if you are experiencing severe pain or have a history of breast carcinoma.
Metastatic breast Cancer
Doctors assign breast cancer a stage when diagnosing it. The stage of breast cancer is determined by its spread and how far it has spread.
The stages of cancer are numbered from 1 to 4. Stage 4 is metastatic breast cancer. It means that the cancer has spread to other parts, such as the liver, bones, and brain.
There are many ways breast cancer can spread:
Cancer cells can spread from the breast to nearby tissues.
Cancer cells travel to distant locations via the blood vessels and lymph vessels.
Breast cancer is still known when it spreads to other organs. Metastatic breast cancer symptoms depend on the organs that it invaded. If the cancer has spread to bones, back pain could be an indicator.
Metastatic breast cancer can also be manifested by the following symptoms:
If it spreads to the brain, headaches, vision problems , nausea or vomiting
yellow skin, eyes, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite if it spreads to the liver
Chronic cough, chest discomfort, and difficulty breathing if it spreads to the lungs
Other symptoms of metastatic breast cancer include:
Fatigue
weight loss
appetite loss
Diagnosis
Your doctor might perform some or all the following tests to determine if you have any symptoms:
Mammograms take images of the breast using X-rays This screening test can detect if there is a breast cancer.
Ultrasound creates a picture of the breast using sound waves. This can be used to help doctors determine if a breast growth is solid or liquidy.
MRI takes detailed images of the breast using a strong magnet and radio waves. These images can be used to help doctors identify tumors.
Biopsy takes a small amount of your breast tissue. To determine if the cells are cancerous, they are examined in a laboratory.