Changes at work
The Americans with Disabilities Act can require employers with 15 or more workers to make reasonable accommodations, such as a flexible schedule, time off for treatment, or working from home.
Breast Cancer education · TAX FREE LIVING BENEFITS
Fight Cancer, not bills.
A Breast Cancer diagnosis brings medical decisions and money worries at the same time. Learn the signs and screening steps that catch Cancer early, and how life insurance with Tax Free Living Benefits can let you use part of your policy while you’re still here, when you need it most.
1 in 8U.S. women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer in their lifetime. The median age at diagnosis is 63.
321,910new cases of invasive Breast Cancer expected in U.S. women in 2026, plus 60,730 cases of DCIS.
−44%drop in the Breast Cancer death rate from 1989 to 2023, thanks to earlier detection and better treatment.
4 million+Breast Cancer survivors are living in the U.S. today, including those still in treatment.
Source: American Cancer Society, 2026 estimates
Signs & symptoms
Changes to bring to your doctor
Breasts are naturally a little uneven, and they change through the month. What matters is a change that is new for you and doesn’t go away after your next period.
A new lump or thickening
In the breast or under the arm. It may be hard and painless, or soft and tender.
Swelling or a change in shape
All or part of one breast looks larger, smaller, or differently contoured than before.
Dimpling or puckering
Skin that pulls in, or looks like an orange peel.
Nipple turning inward
A nipple that newly points in or changes position.
Nipple discharge
Fluid other than breast milk, especially if it is bloody or comes from one side only.
Redness, scaling, or soreness
Red, dry, flaky, or thickened skin on the breast or nipple, or pain in one spot that persists.
Most lumps are not Cancer. Cysts and fibroadenomas are common and harmless. Still, only a doctor can tell the difference, so get any new change checked rather than waiting.
Risk factors
What raises the odds?
A risk factor is not a diagnosis. Many people with several risk factors never get Breast Cancer, and many who do have none besides being a woman and getting older.
You can’t change
Things you’re born with or past
Knowing these helps you and your doctor decide when and how often to screen.
- AgeRisk rises with age. Most Breast Cancers are found in women over 50, and risk climbs noticeably after 40.
- Inherited gene changesBRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations account for most hereditary Breast Cancer. Genetic counseling can tell you if testing makes sense.
- Family historyA mother, sister, daughter, or several relatives with breast or ovarian Cancer.
- Dense breast tissueMore glandular tissue raises risk and can make mammograms harder to read.
- Reproductive historyPeriods starting before 12 or menopause after 55 mean longer lifetime exposure to hormones.
- Past chest radiationRadiation treatment to the chest before age 30, such as for lymphoma.
You can change
Habits within your control
These also lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- AlcoholRisk goes up with each daily drink. If you drink, women should keep it to one drink a day or less.
- Weight after menopauseExtra body fat after menopause raises estrogen levels and Breast Cancer risk.
- Physical inactivityAim for at least 30 minutes of activity on most days.
- Hormone therapySome combined hormone treatments after menopause raise risk. Ask your doctor about the lowest dose for the shortest time.
- TobaccoSmoking is linked to many Cancers. Avoid secondhand smoke too.
Monthly self-exam
Three places, five minutes, once a month
Pick the same time each month. If you have periods, a few days after your period ends is best, when breasts are least swollen and tender.
In front of a mirror
With arms at your sides, look for changes in contour, swelling, dimpling, or changes to the nipples. Raise your arms overhead and look again. Then press your hands firmly on your hips to flex your chest muscles. Don’t worry if your left and right breasts don’t match exactly; few do.
In the shower
Soapy skin makes it easier to feel. Using the pads of your fingers, move around the whole breast and armpit in a circular pattern, from the outside toward the center. Feel for any lump, thickening, or hard knot.
Lying down
Put a pillow under your right shoulder and your right hand behind your head. With the flat fingers of your left hand, make small circles starting at the outer edge at 12 o’clock, and work your way around the clock. Move an inch toward the nipple and go around again. A firm ridge along the lower curve is normal. Gently squeeze the nipple to check for discharge. Switch sides.
In the shower
Check one side at a time. Using the flat pads of your fingers, make small clockwise circles over the chest and armpit, feeling for any lump or hard spot.
In front of a mirror
With arms at your sides, then raised overhead, look for changes in size or shape, puckering, dimpling, or skin texture, and for any change to the nipple.
Lying down
Raise one arm overhead. With three fingers of the other hand, press gently and move in a slow spiral from the outside in toward the nipple. Squeeze the nipple gently to check for discharge. Repeat on the other side.
Screening
When to get a mammogram?
A screening mammogram can find Cancer years before you could feel a lump. These are guidelines for people at average risk.
| Age | American Cancer Society | U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| 40–44 | You may choose to start yearly mammograms. | Mammogram every 2 years. |
| 45–54 | Mammogram every year. | Mammogram every 2 years. |
| 55–74 | Every 2 years, or keep going yearly if you prefer. | Mammogram every 2 years. |
| 75+ | Continue as long as you’re in good health and expect to live 10+ more years. | Not enough evidence to recommend for or against; decide with your doctor. |
Higher risk? If you carry a BRCA mutation, have a strong family history, or had chest radiation when young, you may need to start earlier and add a yearly breast MRI. Ask your doctor to estimate your risk. Men don’t need routine screening but should report any change right away.
Screening
Screening mammogram
A low-dose X-ray of each breast, taken from two angles. Takes about 20 minutes.
Screening
3D mammogram
Also called tomosynthesis. Builds a layered image that can be clearer for dense breasts.
Follow-up
Diagnostic mammogram
More detailed views of a specific area after a lump is found or a screening result needs a closer look.
Follow-up
Breast ultrasound
Uses sound waves to tell a fluid-filled cyst from a solid mass. Often added for dense breasts.
High risk
Breast MRI
Uses magnets and contrast dye. Used alongside mammograms for people at high risk.
Not a substitute
Thermography
Maps skin temperature. The FDA warns it should never replace a mammogram for screening or diagnosis.
If something is found
What happens after an abnormal result?
Being called back after a mammogram is common, and most callbacks turn out not to be Cancer. Here is the usual order of events.
More imaging
A diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI gives a closer look at the area of concern.
Biopsy
A small sample of tissue is removed, usually with a needle under local anesthetic. This is the only way to confirm Cancer.
Pathology report
A pathologist examines the cells and reports whether they’re Cancer, what type, how fast-growing, and which hormone receptors they carry.
Treatment plan
Your care team uses the stage and type to recommend surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or a mix.
Stages & types
Reading a diagnosis
Stage describes how far the Cancer has spread. Together with the Cancer’s type and receptor status, it is one of the biggest factors in choosing treatment.
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0 | Abnormal cells are inside the ducts only and haven’t spread into breast tissue (for example, DCIS). |
| I | A small tumor confined to the breast, possibly with tiny amounts of Cancer in a few nearby lymph nodes. |
| II | Cancer is in the breast, the nearby lymph nodes, or both. |
| III | Cancer has reached more lymph nodes, the skin of the breast, or the chest wall. |
| IV | Cancer has spread to distant organs such as the bones, liver, lungs, or brain. Also called metastatic Breast Cancer. |
TNM
Tumor size, whether it reached lymph Nodes, and whether it has Metastasized. Doctors combine these to assign the stage.
Grade (G1–G3)
How abnormal the cells look and how fast they divide. G1 tends to grow slowly; G3 tends to grow faster.
Receptor status
Whether cells have estrogen (ER) or progesterone (PR) receptors, or extra HER2 protein. This decides which drugs will work.
Common types
Invasive ductal carcinoma
Starts in a milk duct and grows into nearby tissue. The most common type.
Invasive lobular carcinoma
Starts in the milk-producing lobules. It may not form a distinct lump and can be harder to see on a mammogram.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
Non-invasive cells confined to the duct. Very treatable, but it can become invasive if left alone.
Triple-negative
Lacks ER, PR, and HER2. It tends to grow quickly and may be treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Rare and fast-growing. The breast turns red, swollen, and warm, often without a lump.
Paget disease of the nipple
Rare. Starts in the nipple and causes scaly, itchy, or red skin there.
Treatment
How Breast Cancer is treated?
Most people get a combination of treatments. You and your care team decide the plan together based on stage, type, your overall health, and your preferences.
Local
Treats the breast area
Removes or destroys Cancer in one place.
- LumpectomyRemoves the tumor and a rim of healthy tissue, keeping most of the breast. Usually followed by radiation.
- MastectomyRemoves the whole breast. Breast reconstruction can be done at the same time or later.
- Lymph node surgeryRemoves one or more underarm nodes to check whether Cancer has spread.
- Radiation therapyHigh-energy beams kill Cancer cells left after surgery and lower the chance of the Cancer coming back.
Systemic
Treats the whole body
Drugs that reach Cancer cells wherever they are.
- ChemotherapyKills fast-growing cells. Given before surgery to shrink a tumor or after to lower recurrence risk. Not everyone needs it.
- Hormone therapyFor ER- or PR-positive Cancers. Pills such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, often taken for 5 to 10 years.
- Targeted therapyDrugs aimed at specific features of Cancer cells, such as HER2.
- ImmunotherapyHelps your immune system attack Cancer. Used for some triple-negative Breast Cancers.
Ask about clinical trials. Trials give access to new treatments and are an option at every stage. Search the NCI Breast Cancer trial list or call 1-800-422-6237.
Work, insurance & money
Know your rights after a diagnosis
A Cancer diagnosis brings practical questions about your job, your health insurance, and your bills. Federal and State laws give you protections, and free help is available to use them.
Job-protected leave
Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave a year for their own treatment or to care for a family member. Leave can be taken in blocks or a few hours at a time.
Often more protective
Many states offer paid family leave, disability benefits, or broader job protections than federal law. Check your state’s rules.
Telling your employer
Whether and when to share your diagnosis is your choice. You may need to share some medical information to request accommodations or leave.
Keep your coverage
If you lose job-based insurance, COBRA, Marketplace plans, Medicaid, or Medicare may be options. You have the right to appeal a denied claim.
Put it in writing
Keep copies of accommodation requests, leave paperwork, insurance letters, and bills. Written records make appeals and disputes much easier.
Triage Cancer offers free quick guides, state law charts, webinars, and one-on-one legal and financial navigation. This is general information, not legal advice.
Lower your risk
Six habits that help
There is no sure way to prevent Breast Cancer. These steps lower risk for Breast Cancer and many other Cancers at the same time.
Get screened
Keep up with mammograms and self-exams, plus recommended screenings for skin, cervix, and colon. See a doctor about any suspicious change.
Skip tobacco
Smoking causes about a third of all Cancer deaths. Cigars and chewing tobacco aren’t safe alternatives.
Eat mostly plants
Aim for 2½–3 cups of vegetables and 1½–2 cups of fruit a day, and limit high-fat foods from animal sources.
Limit alcohol
Women should have no more than one drink a day, and none during pregnancy. Less is better for Breast Cancer risk.
Move every day
Get 30 minutes or more of activity most days and keep a healthy weight, especially after menopause.
Ask about your options
If you’re at high risk, medicines such as tamoxifen or raloxifene may lower your risk. Talk to your doctor about whether they fit you.
Glossary
Terms you may hear
Medical reports use a lot of jargon. Search for a word you saw on a report or heard at an appointment.
- Atypical hyperplasia
- Breast cells that look abnormal under a microscope but are not Cancer. It raises future risk, so closer follow-up is common.
- Benign
- Not Cancer. A benign growth does not spread to other parts of the body.
- Biopsy
- Removing a small piece of tissue to examine under a microscope. The only way to know for sure if a lump is Cancer.
- BRCA1 / BRCA2
- Genes that normally help repair DNA. Inherited changes in them account for most hereditary Breast Cancers and raise ovarian Cancer risk.
- Breast density
- How much glandular and fibrous tissue the breast has compared with fat. Dense breasts are common and can hide tumors on a mammogram.
- Calcifications
- Tiny calcium deposits seen on a mammogram. Most are harmless, but some patterns need a biopsy.
- Carcinoma
- Cancer that starts in the cells lining organs and tissues. Most Breast Cancers are carcinomas.
- Core needle biopsy
- A hollow needle removes small cylinders of tissue, usually guided by ultrasound or mammogram.
- Cyst
- A fluid-filled sac in the breast. Very common and almost always benign.
- DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ)
- Abnormal cells confined to the milk ducts that haven’t spread into surrounding tissue. Sometimes called stage 0.
- Excisional biopsy
- Surgery to remove an entire lump along with some surrounding normal tissue.
- Fibroadenoma
- A common benign tumor made of glandular and connective tissue. It often feels smooth, round, and movable.
- Fine needle aspiration
- A thin needle draws fluid or cells from a lump. Often used to drain a cyst.
- HER2
- A protein that helps cells grow. Cancers with too much HER2 can be treated with drugs that target it.
- Hormone receptor–positive
- Cancer cells that grow in response to estrogen or progesterone. These often respond to hormone therapy.
- Invasive Breast Cancer
- Cancer that has spread from the ducts or lobules into nearby breast tissue.
- Lumpectomy
- Surgery that removes the tumor and a margin of healthy tissue while keeping the rest of the breast.
- Lymph nodes
- Small glands that filter fluid. Doctors check the underarm nodes to see if Cancer has spread.
- Malignant
- Cancerous. Malignant cells can invade nearby tissue and spread.
- Mastectomy
- Surgery to remove the whole breast. A prophylactic mastectomy is done to lower risk in people at very high risk.
- Metastasis
- Cancer that has spread from where it started to another part of the body.
- Stage
- A number from 0 to IV describing tumor size and how far Cancer has spread. It guides treatment.
- Stereotactic biopsy
- A needle biopsy guided by mammogram images taken from different angles, used for areas that can’t be felt.
- Tamoxifen
- A pill that blocks estrogen in breast tissue. Used to treat some Breast Cancers and to lower risk in high-risk women.
- Triple-negative
- Breast Cancer that lacks estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. It is treated mainly with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
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Get help
Free screenings and support
Cost should never be the reason you skip a mammogram. These programs can help.