In the 'Symptoms - Skin - Conditions' section of our in-depth questionnaire we ask the following question about nipple discharge color:
 |
 |
 |
|
If you have any unusual discharge from your nipples, what color is it?
|
Your answer |
...indicates |
...and suggests |
| 1. |
"Don't know / I am pregnant or lactating" |
|
|
| 2. |
"There is no discharge" |
No nipple discharge |
A symptom |
| 3. |
"White or almost white" |
Whitish nipple discharge |
A symptom |
| 4. |
"Yellow-green" |
Yellow-green nipple discharge |
A symptom |
| 5. |
"Almost black" |
Almost-black nipple discharge |
A symptom |
|
|
 |
|
 |
Your answer will affect the likelihoods of the conditions below.
Any answers in green reduce the likelihood of the condition.
|
|
|
|
| Answers |
Condition |
Comment |
|
|
3 |
4 |
5 |
Breast Cancer |
(Women only) Nipple discharge is usually harmless, and should not signify anything seriously wrong. Most women can squeeze some discharge out of their nipples, especially if they have had children in the past. |
|
|
3 |
4 |
5 |
Male Breast Cancer |
(Men only) Nipple discharge, either bloody or serous, is distinctly abnormal in men and must always be taken seriously. Although it may very well turn out to be nothing, it should always be followed up with mammography and biopsy if any mammographic abnormality is found. |
|
|
3 |
|
|
Pregnancy-Related Issues |
(Women only) Some women have nipple discharge very early in pregnancy. |
|
|
|
|
|
GLOSSARY
Biopsy
Removal of a sample of tissue from a living being for diagnosis. A pathologist later uses a microscope to look for certain features, such as cancer cells, in the sample. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy involves inserting a thin needle to remove a small amount of tissue, sometimes using CT or ultrasound to guide the needle. A core biopsy involves obtaining a sample of tissue with a thick needle or by inserting a thin, lighted tube (laparoscope) into a small incision in the abdomen. Another biopsy method is to remove tissue during an operation.
Discharge (Discharges)
A secretion, of pus for example, from a wound or bodily orifice.
Nipple (Areola, Nipples, Subareolar)
The small projection near the center of the breast containing the outlets of the milk ducts, OR the corresponding projection of the male breast. The areola is the darker tissue that encircles the nipple. Subareolar describes the location beneath the surface of the areola.
Last updated: May 10, 2007
|
 |
|
|
