What does a cancerous nodule look like or feel like?

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During palpation using the fingertips, you may feel a round mass, usually ranging from the size of a hazelnut to the size of a walnut, or even larger. The nodule can be firm or soft, with an uneven surface, separated from the tissue around it, or attached to the tissue around it and mobile.

If the nodule is immobile and somewhat painful to the touch, this is a sign that speaks to the level of infiltration of the mass into the tissue, and directly correlates to the stage of the disease.

From a topographic viewpoint, the nodule is usually situated in the super-lateral quadrant (if we were to divide the area of the breasts in 4 parts by drawing two vertical lines on the sides and two horizontal lines, the bottom one crossing the nipples, then this would be the upper-corner quadrant). The nodule may have become stuck to the skin.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 23 Oct 2017
Medical Author: Dr. med. Diana Hysi