Your Breast Cancer Action Plan

About this report

In 2023, about 313,000 women and 2,800 men discovered they had breast cancer. If your doctor has just delivered the same news to you, you may not have been fully prepared. What are the next steps to take after a breast cancer diagnosis? As you pause for a moment to process your diagnosis, know that breast cancer treatments are very effective, and you have a lot of options. 

Although you can’t control risk factors such as your sex, age, or family history, you can make some general lifestyle choices to help you cope with your breast cancer diagnosis. For those taking on breast cancer treatment, good overall health may help you achieve a successful outcome once you and your doctor have found the right treatment plan for you.

This guide from Harvard Medical School explores targeted hormone therapy, late-stage breast cancer treatment options, ways to effectively manage side effects, healthy lifestyle options, how to approach your first appointment and much more! You will learn more about how to be your best advocate, mastectomy vs reconstructive surgery, imaging tests, caring for your mental health, and more.

Prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publishing in consultation with Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Medical Director, Mass General Cancer Center in Waltham, Director, Breast Oncology  Program, Mass General Cancer Center at Waltham and at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Amy Comander, MD, (2024) 21 Pages.

About guides from Harvard Medical School

Harvard Medical School delivers compact, practical information on important health concerns. These publications are smaller in scope than our Special Health Reports, but they are written in the same clear, easy-to-understand language, and they provide the authoritative health advice you expect from Harvard Health Publishing.

Advocating for yourself

You are your own best advocate when it comes to managing your cancer. Self-advocacy means standing up for yourself and making sure your medical team knows your wants and needs. A cancer diagnosis can make you feel helpless. Becoming a self-advocate gives the power back to you. How do you become a self-advocate? Use the following tips:

1. Learn as much as you can about your cancer from reputable sources such as the Resources at the end of this report. Then you can make informed decisions about your treatment in consultation with your doctor.

2. Speak up. Make your needs and opinions known.

3. Know your body. If something feels wrong and your doctor will not address the problem, see another specialist.

4. Keep good records. Store your test results, appointment notes, insurance documents—everything you might need for future reference—in a well organized and easy-to-find place.

5. Fight for what you deserve. Be prepared to push back against your doctor, employer, insurance company, or the government if you do not get the benefits to which you are entitled.

• Step 1: Process your diagnosis
• Step 2: Assemble your team
• Step 3: Determine your stage
• Step 4: Review your treatment options
• Step 5: Live well with your diagnosis
• Step 6: Realize it’s a marathon, not a sprint
• Resources

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