Health
After a breast cancer diagnosis, here are 10 important things you should do, experts say
One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lifetime, statistics show.
The diagnosis can be shocking, scary and overwhelming, leaving the patient with a long list of questions — perhaps the first of which is, “What should I do next?”
“Hearing the words ‘you have cancer’ is life-changing and brings with it many emotions,” Tingting Tan, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist and hematologist at City of Hope Newport Beach in California, told Fox News Digital.
“Know that your feelings are perfectly normal and give yourself some time.”
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Fox News Digital spoke with breast cancer experts who have helped other women navigate this tough journey, gathering their guidance about what to do in the days and weeks after the diagnosis.
“Hearing the words ‘you have cancer’ is life-changing and brings with it many emotions,” a doctor said. (iStock)
1. Take a beat — and breathe
Experts agree that it’s important to give yourself time to process the news.
“It’s natural to want to rush into action, but taking some time and letting the news sink in is important,” Dr. Alyssa Middleton, a psychosocial oncologist in Louisville, Kentucky, and founder of MyCancerResources.com, told Fox News Digital.
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“Allow yourself to feel the range of emotions that come with this life-altering news.”
In most cases, Middleton said, oncologists will wait several weeks to begin treatment to allow time for further testing — “so there’s no need to feel panicked about making decisions today.”
2. Write down questions and gather information
Once you’ve allowed yourself some time to process the diagnosis, it’s time to learn as much as you can from reliable sources.
“Read the information the doctor provided about the type of breast cancer you have and the stage — a number from 0-4 that describes how big the tumor is, where it is located, and how far it may have spread from the breast,” Middleton advised.
Experts recommend writing down a list of questions to ask your doctor in the days following a diagnosis. (iStock)
Next, it’s important to understand the typical treatments for your type and stage, which may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and/or hormone therapy.
Write down all of your questions and bring them to every doctor’s appointment, Tan advised.
“Those first appointments can be extremely emotional, and there may still be shock or disbelief,” she told Fox News Digital. “Writing your questions down will ensure you don’t forget them.”
3. Notify — and lean on — your support team
“You aren’t obligated to inform the whole world about your diagnosis,” Middleton said. “Share the news with those who you feel need to know and who will be most supportive.”
You can share as much or as little information as you like, she added. “This is your health, and you control what and how much information is shared.”
“Allow yourself to feel the range of emotions that come with this life-altering news.”
Once you’ve notified your loved ones, it can be helpful to bring a friend or family member to your appointments, Tan said.
“This time can be overwhelming, and you want to be sure you understand everything your doctor is explaining,” she said.
One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. (iStock)
“Having your support system with you for an extra set of ears can be helpful if you don’t understand something or miss something.”
In your day-to-day life, it’s OK to ask for help, Tan emphasized.
“Loved ones are often ready and happy to help with preparing meals, taking kids to school, or anything and everything in between,” she said.
4. Consider a second opinion
Studies have shown that getting a second opinion after a breast cancer diagnosis can be beneficial for the patient.
“Second opinions can save lives,” Tan said.
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“Cancer is unique, and if you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you want to see an expert who specializes in your exact type. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for a second opinion.”
Even if you don’t switch oncologists, seeking a second opinion can provide reassurance that you have chosen the right care team and treatment plan, Tan noted.
Studies have shown that getting a second opinion after a breast cancer diagnosis can be beneficial for the patient. (iStock)
“It is essential to do this before starting treatment, as there may be additional options that you should consider,” she said.
Another breast oncologist may have different recommendations on how to treat your breast cancer, Middleton agreed.
“If the treatment recommendation is the same, you can decide which oncologist you feel most comfortable with and move forward with them,” she said.
“If the treatment recommendation differs, you can decide which approach you prefer.”
5. Build your care team
When it comes to seeking care, it’s vital to seek experts who specialize in breast cancer, Tan said.
She recommends choosing an oncologist who practices at a cancer center that’s designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
“When breast cancer is localized – meaning it hasn’t spread outside the breast – the five-year survival rate is 99%.”
“Getting on the right treatment plan at the beginning of your journey is very important,” she said. “Physicians at academic medical centers are the most up to date on the latest treatment breakthroughs and options in the field.”
Dr. Anjeanette Brown, MD, a board-certified breast surgeon at the Premier Surgical Network in New Jersey, emphasized the importance of choosing a health care professional with the proper credentials.
Experts recommend choosing an oncologist who practices at a cancer center that’s designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). (iStock)
“This person should be your ‘quarterback,’ directing the essential steps that need to be taken for proper evaluation and imaging prior to going into surgery,” she told Fox News Digital.
It’s essential that the patient feels comfortable with her provider, Brown noted.
“This will be a long, intense relationship, dealing with emotions and physical changes that are about to happen, secondary to surgical intervention, as well as possible medical management,” she added.
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Dr. Lauren Ramsey, a breast cancer surgeon in Ft. Worth, Texas, specifically recommends seeing a breast surgeon (surgical oncologist) in a timely fashion — ideally a provider who has completed a specialized fellowship in breast surgical oncology.
“Other doctors, such as medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, may end up playing a role — however, the breast surgeon will be able to make those referrals for you,” she said.
6. Connect with others
Many women find invaluable support from other breast cancer patients and survivors.
“Online groups can be a great source of support, with others who are further along in treatment sharing their experiences and supporting you in your journey,” said Middleton.
Many women find invaluable support from other breast cancer patients and survivors. (iStock)
“If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the information that’s been thrown at you, you may want to wait a little while to do this,” she added.
7. Think about fertility
For patients who want to have children in the future, it’s important to consider this before beginning treatment, according to Middleton.
“You’ll want to meet with a fertility specialist to learn about your options and make arrangements for any procedures to be done before any breast cancer treatment starts,” she advised.
8. Focus on the good news
While a breast cancer diagnosis can seem ominous, experts agree that prognoses have improved over the decades.
“Breast cancer mortality rates have dropped by 44% since 1989, thanks to early detection and treatment,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Breast cancer mortality rates have dropped by 44% since 1989, thanks to early detection and treatment,” Tan said.
“When breast cancer is localized – meaning it hasn’t spread outside the breast – the five-year survival rate is 99%, based on NCI data of women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2013 and 2019.”
“It’s a lot, so there is no shame in reaching out to others.”
There are also more than four million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., Tan added.
9. Maintain an active and healthy lifestyle
Exercise is recommended even with a breast cancer diagnosis, Ramsey said.
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“We recommend any form of physical activity, whether it’s light walking or a more structured exercise,” she advised. “Continue performing your usual daily activities.”
Adopting a balanced and nutrient-dense diet can also help support the body during treatment and recovery, Ramsey added.
Exercise is recommended even with a breast cancer diagnosis. (iStock)
“Focus on lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats,” she said. “Avoid sugary and highly processed foods.”
10. Take care of yourself
It’s important to pay attention to your emotional, psychological and spiritual needs throughout a breast cancer journey, Tan advised.
Brown echoed the importance of self-care.
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“This could include a discussion with a nutritionist, giving yourself the space to accept and adjust to the diagnosis, and finding a support group or therapist,” she said.
“It’s a lot, so there is no shame in reaching out to others.”
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For women over 60, muscle strength plays a critical role in longevity, a new study confirms.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo, New York, followed more than 5,000 women between the ages of 63 and 99, finding that those with greater muscle strength had a significantly lower risk of death over an eight-year period.
The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
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Muscle function was measured using grip strength and how quickly participants could complete five unassisted sit-to-stand chair raises.
These are two tests commonly used in clinical settings to evaluate muscle function in older adults, the researchers noted.
A recent study shows that stronger muscle strength in women over 60 is linked to a lower risk of death over eight years. (iStock)
“In a community cohort of ambulatory older women, muscular strength was associated with significantly lower mortality rates, even when we accounted for usual physical activity and sedentary time measured using a wearable monitor, gait speed and blood C-reactive protein levels,” study lead author Michael LaMonte, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University at Buffalo, told Fox News Digital.
“Movement is the key — just move more and sit less.”
Many earlier studies did not include those objective measurements, making it difficult to determine whether muscle strength itself was linked to longevity, according to LaMonte. “Our study was able to better isolate the association between strength and death in later life,” he added.
Even for women who don’t get the recommended amount of aerobic physical activity, which is at least 150 minutes per week, muscle strength remained important for longevity, the researchers found.
Women with greater muscle strength were more likely to live longer, even if they did not meet the recommended amount of aerobic exercise. (iStock)
“The findings of lower mortality in those who had higher strength but were not meeting current national guidelines on aerobic activity were somewhat intriguing,” LaMonte said.
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Federal guidelines recommend strengthening activities one to two days per week, targeting major muscle groups.
Resistance training does not have to require a gym membership, LaMonte noted. These exercises can be performed using free weights, resistance bands, bodyweight movements or even household items, such as soup cans.
Experts recommend working major muscle groups one or two days a week using weights, bands or bodyweight exercises. (iStock)
“Movement is the key — just move more and sit less,” he said. “When we can no longer get out of the chair and move around, we are in trouble.”
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LaMonte acknowledged several limitations of the study. The researchers assessed muscle strength in older age but did not explore how earlier levels in adulthood might influence long-term health outcomes.
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“We were not able to understand how strength and mortality relate in younger ages,” he said, noting that future research should explore whether building strength earlier could have an even greater impact on longevity.
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Compounds found in cannabis could provide a new roadmap for treating the world’s most common chronic liver disorder, according to a study released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The research, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, found that cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) significantly reduced liver fat and improved metabolic health in experimental models.
CBD is the more widely studied non-intoxicating cannabinoid, while CBG is a less common “precursor” cannabinoid from which CBD is formed.
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Unlike THC, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, these compounds do not produce a “high,” making them viable candidates for long-term medical treatment, the study suggests.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects approximately one-third of the global adult population, according to health data.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects approximately one-third of the global adult population. (iStock)
The condition, which is closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance, has few approved pharmaceutical treatments, the researchers said, leaving patients to rely largely on lifestyle changes that can be difficult to maintain.
“Our findings identify a new mechanism by which CBD and CBG enhance hepatic energy and lysosomal function,” said lead study author Joseph Tam, director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research at Hebrew University, in a press release.
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The study highlights a process called “metabolic remodeling,” in which the cannabis compounds created a “backup battery” for the liver by increasing levels of phosphocreatine, a high-energy molecule stored in muscle cells.
This energy reserve helps the organ function under the stress of a high-fat diet, which was an unexpected discovery, the team noted.
Researchers focused on CBD and CBG, two non-psychoactive compounds that offer therapeutic benefits without the “high” associated with THC. (iStock)
The researchers also found that CBD and CBG restored the activity of “cellular cleaning crews” known as cathepsins, enzymes that work within the cell’s recycling centers to break down harmful fats and waste.
With this process, the liver was better able to clear out dangerous lipids, including triglycerides and ceramides, which are known to trigger inflammation, the study showed.
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While both compounds were effective, CBG showed more robust results in certain areas, such as reducing total body fat mass, lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and improving insulin sensitivity.
Researchers say this study opens a new path for using plant-based compounds to treat metabolic diseases by focusing on how cells manage energy and waste.
The discovery of a phosphocreatine “backup battery” in the liver marks a significant shift in how scientists understand the organ’s ability to survive high-fat diets. (iStock)
Limitations and caveats
Despite the promising results, the research team cautioned that the study was conducted in a controlled experimental environment. Further clinical trials are necessary to determine the proper application for human patients.
Other recent studies have pointed to potential issues with using cannabis as a medical tool.
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A major analysis published in JAMA examined more than 2,500 scientific papers from the last 15 years, including other reviews, clinical trials and guidelines focused on medical marijuana.
The 2025 review highlighted significant gaps between public perception and scientific evidence regarding cannabis’ effectiveness for most medical conditions.
Other recent studies have pointed to issues with the efficacy of cannabis as a medical tool. (iStock)
The researchers concluded that there are very few conditions for which cannabinoid therapies have clear, well-established benefits backed by high-quality clinical data.
“Whenever a substance is widely used, there is likely to be a very wide set of outcomes,” Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, previously told Fox News Digital. “This study points to the reality that this widely used substance is not a panacea.”
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The strongest evidence supports FDA-approved cannabinoid medications for treating specific conditions, including HIV/AIDS-related appetite loss, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and certain severe pediatric seizure disorders, according to the review.
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Anyone interested in using marijuana for medical purposes should speak to a healthcare provider to discuss potential risks and benefits.
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While cannabis has recently come under fire for potential negative health risks, a recent study suggests that its use could increase brain volume and cognitive fitness.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus analyzed cannabis usage, brain scans and cognitive test results for more than 26,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 77, using data from the UK biobank.
The study found that cannabis users — particularly those who reported moderate lifetime usage — showed larger volumes in several brain regions.
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“Compared to individuals with no history of cannabis use, those who reported using cannabis showed larger volumes in several brain regions characterized by a high density of cannabinoid (CB1) receptors — regions involved in processes such as memory, information processing and emotion regulation,” lead study author Anika Guha, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, told Fox News Digital.
A recent study suggests that cannabis use could increase brain volume and cognitive fitness. (iStock)
The cannabis users also scored better on cognitive tests that measured learning, processing speed and executive function.
This outcome differs from many previous studies, which have focused on short-term cognitive impairment during or shortly after cannabis use, the researcher pointed out.
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“These findings suggest that the relationship between cannabis and the brain may differ across the lifespan, and that moderate use in mid-to-later adulthood may be associated with positive brain health outcomes,” Guha said.
Not all areas of the brain showed positive effects among cannabis users. The posterior cingulate, which is involved in self-reflection and memory, had lower volume with higher marijuana use.
“The takeaway is not that people should start using more cannabis based on these findings alone.”
As cannabis has been rising in popularity among all ages, this type of study is important for understanding its long-term effects and the pros and cons of use, according to Matt Glowiak, Ph.D., chief addiction specialist with Recovered, an organization that provides information and resources for mental health and addiction treatment.
The drug’s effects likely depend on factors such as age, dose, frequency, product composition and individual vulnerability. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
“Given the connection between cannabis use and larger brain volume, it is believed that it may help [older] individuals retain cognitive function that might otherwise naturally decline,” Chicago-based Glowiak, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“This is a huge benefit, but one we need to explore a bit further, ahead of encouraging those who would otherwise not consider integrating cannabis into their healthcare regimen.”
Limitations and caveats
As the study was observational in nature, it could not prove that cannabis use improves brain health — instead, it only showed an association, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, who was not involved in the study.
“The preponderance of previous evidence does not line up with improved cognitive function from chronic cannabis use,” Siegel told Fox News Digital. “This study is an outlier, and though it cannot be ignored, it is not justification for use.”
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The study also relied on the UK Biobank, which offers a “large and rich dataset,” Guha said — but it is limited to the questions that were originally posed to the participants.
“In particular, we have only a broad measure of how many times someone has used cannabis over their lifetime,” she said. “We do not have access to details about how they used cannabis, such as whether they smoked or used edibles, the type or potency of cannabis, or when in their life they used most heavily.”
Cannabis users scored better in learning, processing speed and executive function. (iStock)
“Those details likely matter a great deal for understanding how cannabis affects the aging brain.”
Given these limitations, Guha suggests that the findings should be seen as an early indicator that cannabis use may be related to brain aging, “and as a starting point for more targeted research that can tease apart these relationships.”
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“The takeaway is not that people should start using more cannabis based on these findings alone,” she emphasized. “While cannabis may have potential benefits in some contexts, a substantial body of research also documents important risks, underscoring that cannabis is neither completely beneficial nor completely harmful.”
The drug’s effects likely depend on factors such as age, dose, frequency, product composition and individual vulnerability, according to Guha.
“Given the widespread use and legalization of cannabis, it would be great to know that it is net-positive for brain health — however, this feels too good to be true, and too early to claim,” one expert said. (AP)
“As with any substance, individuals should consult with a healthcare provider before initiating use, particularly if they have a history of mental health concerns, as THC (the primary psychoactive component of cannabis) can exacerbate symptoms such as psychosis in vulnerable individuals,” she added.
Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, reiterated that this study is an “outlier,” as most previous research has shown “detrimental effects” from cannabis use.
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“Given the widespread use and legalization of cannabis, it would be great to know that it is net-positive for brain health — however, this feels too good to be true, and too early to claim,” he said. “I would advise proceeding with caution and moderation.”
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Dimitriu agreed that more large-scale studies and review papers are needed to get a “clearer picture.”
“What this cannabis study shows is that there may be conflicting information, which warrants more investigation.”
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