So how do they know it's C_____ ?

Symptoms (as extracted from the Breast Cancer Foundation site)

• a persistent lump or thickening in the breast or armpit area
• a newly retracted (pulled in) nipple
• changes in the colour or skin of the breast, areola or nipple (eg. dimpling, puckering or scaling)
• blood or discharge from the nipple
• a change in the size or shape of the breast

Other than the persistent lump I discovered, I had none of the other symptoms.

During my first SGH visit, I had the following done

• physical examination - during which the doc remarked that it doesn't feel like a bad lump
• mammogram - during the physical examination, the doc kept saying "you're only 38" till I asked him, what's the significance? He explained that mammograms are usually done for those 40 and above but since I'm 38, that's almost 40 so I could go for it too.
• ultrasound - only ultrasounds I've had were when I had kids. Ultrasound of the breasts? Yup, same goo, only warmer this time. Advances in medicine.
  
• FNAC - fine needle .... - what it means is that the doc will poke a fine needle into the lump to extract some cells for testing. I was supposed to have a core needle (read : big hole needle) but the doc changed his mind before and said the lump would run away from him if he used the core needle and then switched to the fine one.

Mammogram - details soon

Ultrasound - details soon