How to Spot the Symptoms of Metastatic and Recurrent Breast Cancer

The symptoms of metastatic and recurrent breast cancer depend on how much the cancer has spread. You may have specific physical symptoms, such as a lump in your breast or on your chest wall, bone pain, or shortness of breath. Many women do not have symptoms. Recurrent or metastatic breast cancer is often found before symptoms appear, either on a chest X-ray or as part of another test.

Recurrent breast cancer
If you have cancer that recurs in the same area (local recurrence), you may have symptoms such as:
• A lump or thickening in the breast, chest wall, or armpit after you have had breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy. You may notice that the skin of your chest looks or feels different.

• A change in the size or shape of the breast or a dimple or pucker in the skin of the breast.

• Discharge or bleeding from the nipple that occurs without squeezing the nipple (spontaneous discharge).

• A change in the nipple, such as a scaly or crusty look, or a nipple that draws inward (retraction or inversion).

Metastatic breast cancer
Symptoms of metastatic breast cancer will depend on the area affected and how far your breast cancer has spread.

For more information on metastatic breast cancer, including a table of symptoms based on areas affected, visit our A-Z Health Library.