Worried About Breast Cancer?

So many women you know may have had breast cancer—young mothers, career women, friends and neighbors, older relatives. It seems as if every time you turn around, there's an article about breast cancer in the newspaper or on TV. You may be fearful of developing breast cancer for the first time, of receiving a diagnosis after a mammogram or other testing, of treatment of cancer recurrence, or even of losing the battle.

Even though you may have some of these fears, you are not necessarily going to get breast cancer. If you have had breast cancer before, it doesn't mean that the cancer will recur.

Still, it's normal to have concerns about a disease that you hear about and see around you relatively often—and that you may have experienced yourself or through a loved one. Don't let the discussion of fear in this section feed into your own fears. Throughout breastcancer.org, the information our medical experts provide and the support offered by our cybersisters can help you manage the fears, instead of letting them manage you.

Is it breast cancer?

Are you worried about a lump or other symptom you think might be breast cancer? Find out what the signs of breast cancer are, and what to do if you think you have one. Are you concerned that a change in your body, or symptoms that don't involve your breast, mean that cancer has come back or spread?

Fear of first diagnosis

Most women think their risk of getting breast cancer for the first time is higher than it really is. Try to get a realistic idea of your risk from your doctor. Your risk is affected by many factors. Many women who review their risk factors find out that their risk is lower than they'd expect.

The fear of being diagnosed with breast cancer makes some women avoid going to the doctor. But the sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you can know what your situation is. Never let fear stop you from making a good choice when it comes to your healthcare.

Fear of recurrence

If you have a personal history of the disease, you have very different worries. You may already have had a good deal of treatment, and now you are being followed carefully to make sure you are okay and free of any signs of recurrence. You obviously want to do everything possible to lower the risk of cancer returning.

Living with advanced disease

If you are dealing with recurrence or metastatic disease, you may be worried about what tests and treatments you need, whether your current treatment is working, and what therapies you might need in the future.

Lowering breast cancer risk

How do you know you're doing everything you can to keep your breast cancer risk as low as possible? Is there anything you could do to lower the risk further? Find out in our Lower Your Risk section.

Find out how to get around Breastcancer.org, who runs and maintains the web site, and what information is available here by visiting our "About Us" section.