Sometimes, when the source of your bleeding is entirely clear, these studies may not be needed. Anemia is a condition in which you have fewer than the expected number of red blood cells in your blood. Anemia should be investigated. There are many kinds of anemia, but blood loss almost always causes iron deficiency anemia. Unless there is an obvious source of ongoing blood loss, as there is for menstruating women, this anemia needs to be explained.
Many cancers can cause anemia, but bowel cancers most commonly cause iron deficiency anemia.
Evaluation should include endoscopy or x-ray studies of your upper and lower intestinal tracts. Most breast lumps are noncancerous tumors such as fibroadenomas or cysts. But all breast lumps need to be thoroughly investigated. A negative mammogram is not sufficient to evaluate a breast lump. Discharge from a breast is common.