Cancer guide
Breast cancer
By Cura Editorial Team ·
The most common cancer in women — highly treatable when caught early, with treatment shaped by hormone receptor and HER2 status.
Symptoms of breast cancer
Early signs, which ones need a same-week doctor visit, and what screening looks like.
Read the symptoms guideWhat to ask after a breast cancer diagnosis
The questions that shape treatment — biomarkers, staging, surgery, chemo, second opinions.
Read the questions guideWhat to know first
- About 1 in 8 women in the US will be diagnosed in their lifetime.
- Screening mammograms are recommended starting at 40 for average risk.
- Hormone receptor (ER/PR) and HER2 status shape every treatment decision.
When to see a doctor
- A new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit
- Skin dimpling, nipple retraction, or unusual discharge
- Any breast change that persists more than one cycle
Frequently asked questions
What are the early warning signs of breast cancer?
The signs that most often lead to a breast cancer diagnosis are: a new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit; skin dimpling, nipple retraction, or unusual discharge; any breast change that persists more than one cycle. Any of these lasting more than a couple of weeks is worth a same-week appointment, even though most turn out to be something else.
When should I see a doctor about possible breast cancer?
See a doctor promptly if a symptom is new, persistent, or getting worse rather than better. Describe when it started, how often it happens, and what makes it better or worse — that detail is what decides whether you get imaging or testing at the first visit.
What should I know first about breast cancer?
The most common cancer in women — highly treatable when caught early, with treatment shaped by hormone receptor and HER2 status. About 1 in 8 women in the US will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Screening mammograms are recommended starting at 40 for average risk. Hormone receptor (ER/PR) and HER2 status shape every treatment decision.
What questions should I ask after a breast cancer diagnosis?
Ask what the exact diagnosis is and how it is staged, what the treatment options are and in what order they would happen, what the goal of treatment is, which side effects to expect, and whether a second opinion or clinical trial makes sense for your situation.
Related guides
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Before the first treatment decision
If a start date is on the calendar, or you feel lost between diagnosis and the first infusion, build a first-visit brief on the page: what's known, what's missing, what to ask. Homework, not a treatment plan.
Cura Brief is educational. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Confirm everything with your oncology team. If this is an emergency, call emergency services. Email is not an emergency line.
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