Breast cancer symptoms: This viral lemon photo is crucial to early diagnosis

Johns Hopkins Medical Center reports that 40 percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump. But a breast mass is not the sole way the disease can present itself. There are 12 common symptoms associated with breast cancer, and the Know Your Lemons Campaign has created a useful chart illustrating each one as it appears. The handy graphic went viral in 2017 after breast cancer survivor Erin Smith Chieze shared it on her Facebook and revealed that it actually helped her diagnose her own cancer. In her post, Chieze went on to call on her friends to share real information like the lemon photo, which may have saved her life. “We need to give real information— not cute hearts. If you truly want to help ... share photos like this one”. When breast cancer is detected early and in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99 percent. That rate decreases the longer the cancer goes without detection. In other words, early detection is one of the most important factors in successfully treating the disease