VanNote urges all women to be more aware of their bodies and to question their doctors about their health care and diagnoses. But if the doctor can't provide an explanation that you feel comfortable with, I would urge any woman to pursue that further. If I hadn't pushed for a biopsy in my case, I'm not sure I'd be here now for my children. The best protection is early detection. Early detection provides the best opportunity to treat breast cancer successfully, and a diagnosis often does not mean removal of the breast.
Women have an arsenal of ways to increase their chances of detecting and surviving breast cancer.
The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute recommend regular mammograms beginning at age 40. Second, have a physician examine the breast once a year. And third, the woman can do a breast self-examination and check for any abnormalities each month. If she finds anything like a lump or change in the nipple or nipple discharge, she should report that to her physician promptly. A woman should also ask her doctor about breast cancer and talk about any breast cancer history in her family.