Every woman, no matter what her age, should know how to do self-examination for breast cancer. This needs to be done monthly. If you do not know how to do such an exam, ask your doctor. Regular mammograms should start when a woman if 40 years old. An early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death.

Monthly exams consist of feeling around the breasts and looking at the nipples in a mirror. If you are experiencing symptoms such as discharge from a nipple, a change in the shape of one nipple, lumps or hardness, call your doctor immediately.

If your doctor suspects breast cancer, more tests will be ordered. A biopsy will determine if a tumor is indeed cancerous or if it is benign (usually fibrous).

Once breast cancer has been diagnosed, the next step is to find out how far the cancer has spread and in what stage it is. Often, if it is caught early on, a lumpectomy is done. Some women choose to have radiation and chemotherapy before surgery to try to shrink the cancer so they do not have to have a breast removed. When a woman has a mastectomy (breast removal), the lymphatic nodes under the arm are often taken to ensure the cancer does not reoccur. Many women have a lumpectomy - where the lump is all that is removed - followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Hormone therapy may be prescribed as well.

Surprisingly, only 10 percent of breast cancer is considered to be genetic. This is counter to what was believed just a few years ago. The fact is that breast cancer can happen to anyone whether or not they have family members who have had the disease.

Due to education, self-examination, mammography and earlier diagnosis, more women are surviving breast cancer than ever before. This is why a woman must know her own body and be able to detect the slightest change in her health. If you are not already doing monthly exams, find out how they are done and start doing them. If you are 40 years of age or older, you should be having regular mammograms.