 I am Dr. Shilpa Ramachandra, consultant radiologist at Manipal Hospital with special interest in breast imaging. October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month is not just for the Dasara festivities. It is also time to put in some extra effort to raise the breast cancer awareness. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and it is the leading cancer in Indian women as well. Incidents of breast cancer is rapidly increasing and the death rate is much worse than the western counterparts. The worrying trend is more and more younger people are being affected with poorer outcomes. Self breast examination is easy and there is no cost attached to it. With self breast examination, the common symptoms of breast cancer such as a lump in the breast or the armpit, nipple retraction, nipple discharge, skin thickening, redness of the skin or dimpling of the skin can be identified. Mammograms are low dose x-rays of the breast designed to detect the abnormalities within. Several studies have shown that regular mammograms reduces the death rate by up to 40%. The breast cancer treatment has evolved and improvised over many years and the treatment is very much individualized. Ultrasound is a very common modality to evaluate the breast problems in women. The advantage is that it does not involve any radiation. It is a very useful modality to assess any symptoms the ladies come with and also the abnormalities seen on the mammogram. One should not confuse that ultrasound can replace the mammogram. Ultrasound will never replace a mammogram. Ultrasound is always complementary to mammogram. We use high resolution linear probes to assess the breast problems. It helps to pick up abnormalities which are even in millimeters. Ultrasound is extremely helpful and commonly used to do the breast biopsies. It helps the doctor to guide the needle into the right area and take the sample so that we can get accurate diagnosis. Early detection saves lives. You have the power to save your own life and I insist you just do that.