• Cancer

    Women’s Wellness: Confused and feeling lost after breast cancer diagnosis

close-up of a middle-aged woman outside, looking worried or thoughtful

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women.

Your health care provider determines your breast cancer treatment options based on your type of breast cancer, its stage and grade, size, and whether the cancer cells are sensitive to hormones. He or she also considers your overall health and your own preferences.

There are many options for breast cancer treatment, and you may feel overwhelmed as you make complex decisions about your treatment. Consider seeking a second opinion from a breast specialist in a breast center or clinic. Talk to other women who have faced the same decision.

Connect with patients who are discussing their breast cancer diagnosis.

"Everything right now likely seems very confusing and ‘technical’ to you, and none of it makes sense. The only advise I can give for now is to breathe, and try your very best to just allow everything to flow for a bit. And that advise is just about impossible to do… the intense fear of cancer being in your body is the worst part about all of this. I was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer last year, and all the medical terms about drove me crazy trying to understand while making decisions without really knowing what I was doing." - Mayo Clinic Connect member.

Learn more about breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Visit Mayo Clinic Connect to meet people living with breast cancer or caring for someone with breast cancer.