Many of us were probably surprised and very upset by the passing of Dana Fairbanks on the L Word. Yes, she was just a fictional character, but the impact allowed the threat of cancer to hit home. The writer's showed that youth, an athletic build and even fame will not stop you from being affected by cancer. No one knows that more than Melissa Etheridge who underwent two cancer surgeries in 2004.

Discovery of a lump can generate fear in a woman. This may strike at the core of a women's self image through the thought of breast cancer, of losing her breast and maybe even losing her life. Women are eight times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer and lung cancer kills twice as many women every year than cancer of the breast. But the main reason breast cancer is a woman's worst nightmare is the fact that it kills more women age 35 to 55 than any other disease.

Benign (non cancerous) breast disorders often occur in women and may generate a great amount of anxiety. Changes in a woman's breast tissue will frequently arise from hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle. During this time a woman may experience an increased tenderness and lumpiness in her breast. Because of this change, a breast self exam is recommended to be performed after menses. Most breast cancers are found by the women themselves during a breast self-exam or, like on The L Word, found by a woman's partner during sexual activity.

Besides feeling a lump in the breast or armpit, other symptoms include color change, dimpling, or puckering of the skin around the breast, a change in the size or shape of the breast and fluid discharge from the nipple. If you notice any changes in your breast and/or the surrounding area, see your health professional immediately.

There are various types of risk factors for breast cancer. Increasing age, family history and/or personal history of breast cancer, smoking while using oral contraceptives and having more than one alcoholic beverage a day are among the top risks.

Even though the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer has been rising each year, the death rate has been declining. This is primarily due to better treatments and early diagnosis through breast exams (self and by a health care professional) and mammograms. Always remember that early detection is extremely important to treat breast cancer and if you do receive a positive diagnosis, never hesitate to receive a second opinion.

- Jennifer Medvin, RN