When To Call a Doctor

Call your doctor if you have any symptoms of breast cancer that last for more than 1 to 2 weeks, such as:

• A lump or sore in your breast or on your chest wall.
• Swelling in the armpit or neck.
• Swelling of the arm.
• Bone pain, especially in the back or hips.
• Shortness of breath or a cough.
• Loss of appetite.
• Extreme tiredness.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Recurrent headaches.

Who to see

If you have received treatment for breast cancer, health professionals who can evaluate new problems include a:

• Medical oncologist.
• Radiation oncologist.
• Surgeon.
• Family medicine doctor.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

Exams and Tests

Regular checkups

After you've been treated for breast cancer the first time, you will have regular checkups to be sure that the cancer has not returned. You and your doctor will talk about how often you will need checkups. Your checkups may include a physical exam, a clinical breast exam (CBE), or a mammogram. An MRI of the breast may also be used.

Diagnostic tests

If your doctor thinks that breast cancer has come back or spread, you may have other tests, including:

• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC). These help find the cause of symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, fever, bruising, or weight loss.
• Tissue tests, such as a biopsy.
• Imaging studies, such as abdominal ultrasound, bone scan, chest X-ray, CT scan, or MRI.

For more information on exams and tests, see the topic Breast Cancer.