As Deborah said, the ladies have it covered. I just wanted to add my very recent story (3 weeks ago). New doctor, yearly check-up, breast exam, she feels a lump and her reaction? "I would definitely have this lump biopsied!" I have a lot of cysts, and I have been called back after mammograms several times too, but never had a doctor felt a definite lump during the initial exam. I then said, shouldn't we go the regular course: mammogram, ultrasound and THEN a biopsy if needed? Yes, yes, of course, but... she said. It completely freaked me out. Out of the doctor's office, right on the parking lot, I was able to make an appt for both mammogram and ultrasound for 5 days later (thank goodness we don't have to wait for weeks or months for something like this!!).
I was pretty certain that my life had arrived at a turning point. And just like you, I saw breast-cancer stories everywhere. I picked up two magazines at the gym and there were THREE stories: one ended deadly, the other two were still in treatment. Talk about major stress.
In the end, my lump was just another cyst and I walked out of the hospital with what felt like a new lease on life and I was so incredibly grateful. I will definitely not hold back when I see my doctor again (if I decide to stay with her) and let her know to keep her reactions in check a little bit.
And I don't know how you feel about this, but my husband's reaction really upset me. He wanted to sound optimistic and said: "Oh don't worry, everything will be fine." I couldn't take that. To me it was like he wasn't taking my fear seriously and didn't really want to deal with it. We had a long conversation about it.