Nipple Discharge: An Early Warning Sign of Breast Cancer

Nipple discharge (nd) can be the earliest presenting symptomof breast cancer. we hereby present two cases of breast cancerwith no palpable mass manifesting as isolated nd, which waswhitish in color. in both cases, cytology of the discharge revealedhighly pleomorphic cells indicating a high grade malignancy.mammography showed diffuse, extensive microcalcifications.simple mastectomy with axillary clearance was done. histologyin both cases revealed diffusely spreading intraductal carcinoma,with focus of microinvasion in one case. nd if scanty or notblood stained is often ignored by the patients and at times, theclinicians. this article highlights that nd can be an early warningsign of intraductal carcinomas that are non-invasive in early stage.irrespective of the color or nature of the discharge, unilateralnd needs to be evaluated. proper clinical assessment, cytologicalevaluation of the nd, and mammography ought to be performedin all such cases. considering the low level of awareness in womenregarding the warning signs of breast cancer, the current focusis to create “breast awareness.” women should be sensitized torecognize any unusual changes in their breasts and report to theirhealth care providers at the earliest.