Is Nipple Bloody Discharge Always Cancer?
Patients and specialists alike generally take nipple bloody discharge seriously, believing that breast cancer is relatively common in such cases—this is correct. However, one need not panic upon seeing bloody discharge, assuming it must be cancer. Breast cancer presenting solely with nipple bloody discharge is uncommon; it usually occurs alongside a breast mass.
Bloody nipple discharge may result from the following conditions: intraductal papilloma, especially a larger papilloma located in the central part of the breast, particularly if it grows rapidly, has numerous branches, and is fragile, often leading to bleeding; breast cancer, such as intraductal papillary carcinoma or invasive carcinoma occurring in major ducts, which may present with bloody discharge if there are capillary dilation and hemorrhagic changes at the initial site; and less commonly, mammary hyperplasia, ductal ectasia syndrome, or inflammation in the breast can also cause bloody discharge.
Therefore, not all bloody discharges should be regarded as cancer. A definitive diagnosis requires comprehensive examination. Ductography and cytological examination of the discharge can provide essential diagnostic evidence.
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