6 steps to take after a breast cancer diagnosis
Learning you have breast cancer can be overwhelming. Try these oncologist-recommended tips to move forward.
Jan 18, 2026
Written byEdiva Zanker
1 / 7
Slide 1
Invasive breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States. Perhaps you know someone who was recently diagnosed, or perhaps you’ve been diagnosed yourself.
Being told that you have breast cancer can be a shock to the system, giving rise to a range of emotions and questions about what to do next. Here are tips to help you keep moving forward.
Sources (7)
- U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. U.S. Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations Tool. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute; released in June 2024.
- American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts for Women. October 31, 2023.
- National Cancer Institute. Emotions and Cancer. November 9, 2023.
- American Cancer Society. Telling a Child Someone They Love Has Cancer. September 15, 2022.
- National Cancer Institute. The Genetics of Cancer. August 8, 2024.
- American Cancer Society. Seeking a Second Opinion. August 7, 2019.
- Susan G. Komen. What are Support Groups? December 28, 2023.