What Is Breast Cancer? A Gentle Starting Point

Starting where you are

If you are reading this soon after a diagnosis, take a breath. You do not need to understand everything today. This page is here to give you a few steady footholds and the words to ask your own care team good questions.

Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow in ways the body did not intend. There are many types, and no two experiences are exactly alike. Your care team will explain the specific picture that applies to you.

Words you may hear

Medical language can feel like a second language. Here are a few terms in everyday words. Your team is the right place to confirm what each one means for you.

• Tumor: a lump or growth of cells. Not all lumps are cancer.
• Biopsy: taking a small sample of tissue to look at it closely.
• Stage: a way of describing the size of the cancer and whether it has spread.
• Hormone receptor status: whether the cancer cells respond to certain hormones, which can guide treatment choices.

Questions you can bring to your team

Writing questions down before an appointment can help when emotions are high. Consider bringing someone you trust to listen with you.

• What type of breast cancer do I have, in plain words?
• What are my treatment options, and what does each one involve?
• Who can I call between appointments when I have a question?