Nipple Discharge: Causes, Symptoms & When to See a Doctor

Question
Hi Karen,

I emailed you last week, I ahd a discharge from my left nipple. Well I got myself to a doctor and she did a swab test and a slide, she also checked for lumps and irregularities. Karen, do you have any idea what it may be. The fluid is very clear, a while ago there was some blood in it, but now it seems clear again. Have there been any cases where people have had breast cancer without having lumps? could this be a symptom of another type of cancer?  

Answer
Dear Kathy,   Discharge from the nipple (either one or both) can be an indication of benign (non-cancerous) conditions or malignant (cancerous) conditions....  Until the biopsy of the fluid discharge comes back, there is really no way to tell if this is a benign or malignant condition....

Yes, you can have dicharge from the nipple and NOT have a lump.....  No, this is not a symptom of any other type of cancer....  If this discharge is cancerous cells, then this is breast cancer....  The TYPE (name) of the cancer will be determined by the biopsy....  You see cancer is NOT just breast cancer, lung cancer etc...  These are WHERE the cancer is located, but the actual type is for example, carcinoma, squamous, adenocarcinoma etc....

You just need to wait and see what the biopsy says and what the doctor says....

Thank you,   karen