Famous breast cancer survivors

Elizabeth EdwardsElizabeth Edwards

The wife of former vice presidential candidate John EdwardsJohn Edwards was diagnosed with invasive ductal cancer, the most common type of the disease, in the final weeks of the presidential campaign in 2004. After receiving treatment, she went into remission, although the cancer returned in 2007. She is living with stage 4 breast cancer which has spread to her bones and other organs. "There are no guarantees in life anyway," she told NBC Dateline in 2004. "And if the one thing that we've learned over the years is that you're going to have to live every day like it's your last day anyway. So you know, this, for me, it's just another reminder of that lesson."

Christina ApplegateChristina Applegate

For actress Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in July, there was only one effective way to deal with her fear over her cancer treatment: Let it all out. "Sometimes, you know, I cry," she told "Good Morning America." "And sometimes I scream. And I get really angry. And I get really upset, you, into wallowing in self-pity sometimes. And I think that's all part of the healing."

Dame Maggie SmithMaggie Smith

When the 73-year-old actress Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, it was reported that she insisted on filming her sixth appearance as Professor McGonagall in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" even while undergoing radiation therapy. The Academy Award winner had chemotherapy and radiation after having a lump removed.

Maura Tierney

Best known for her role as medical resident Abby Lockhart in NBC's long-running hospital drama "ER", Maura Tierney confirmed in July 2009 she had a tumor in her breast and needed surgery. As a result, the actress had to leave the NBC fall drama "Parenthood." Tierney's rep said in a statement to Access Hollywood, "Ms. Tierney and her doctors remain confident that the outcome of her treatments will be positive."

Cynthia NixonCynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon understands the reason many women avoid mammograms: The results could be terrifying. "(T)he only thing to really be afraid of is if you don't go get your mammograms, because there's some part of you that doesn't want to know, and that's the thing that's going to trip you up," the actress, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2002, told "Good Morning America." "That's the thing that could have a really bad endgame."