Chris Cooper of Woodstock had benign lumps in her breast before.

So when she discovered a lump while on a cruise in March 2006, she thought she had little reason to suspect cancer.

"I tried to tell myself that's what it was," she said of labeling the lump benign.

But, after a biopsy was performed, there was no doubt that Mrs. Cooper was faced with a diagnosis that thousands of women and men receive each year.

Mrs. Cooper was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of cancer that's not responsive to hormone therapy treatments. This type of cancer is most prevalent in young African-American women, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Mrs. Cooper, 60, said she was shocked by the news."

"You're scared, certainly," she said. "Then you go through feeling like you will die. Then you get mean and decide to beat it."

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women.

The institute estimates there will be 192,370 new breast cancer cases among women this year, and about 40,170 women and will die this year from breast cancer.

The organization estimates there be 5,370 new female breast cancer cases in Georgia this year.

Between 2002 and 2006, the latest figures available, there were 469 cases of breast cancer diagnoses in Cherokee County, according to the society.

During the same time period, 79 women in Cherokee passed away because of breast cancer.

There were 26,457 new cases and 5,402 deaths related to breast cancer across the state during the same period.

The key in fighting breast cancer is providing women with as much information as possible and dispelling myths about the disease, said Dr. Anita Johnson, a breast surgical oncologist at Northside Hospital-Cherokee.

Dr. Johnson said one common myth many have about breast cancer is the majority of patients have a family history. Only about 40 percent of new cases are tied to family history, she said.

In Mrs. Cooper's case, she had no family history other than her grandmother developing breast cancer at age 83.

Along with adequate exercise and eating a diet high in antioxidants, Dr. Johnson said she can't stress enough the importance of performing monthly breast self-exams and an annual mammogram.

"Early detection is the key," she said.

Soon after her diagnosis, Mrs. Cooper began a clinical trial of chemotherapy called Avastin.

The tumor continued to grow, and she eventually had a bilateral mastectomy.

In January 2008, she said the tumor showed up in her left lung, and she had to continue her chemotherapy.

Her current regimens are a combination of Carboplatin and Gemzar to treat the tumor in her lung. She spends between five and six hours one day every other week getting treatments, she said.

The treatments, she said, have had a negative impact on her red and white blood cell counts and her platelets, thus making her more susceptible to fatigue and infections.

Up until July, Mrs. Cooper said she was able to continue her job as an executive vice president of Georgian Bank, which now is First Citizens Bank.

"My employees were very supportive," she said. "They had to get used to my wigs."

Her family also has been at her side. Her husband, Jerry, semi-retired from the construction business, began taking on some of the housework. Mrs. Cooper also has two daughters and five grandchildren.

Even though she has cancer, Mrs. Cooper said she's never dwelled on it. In fact, she said she continues to live her life to the fullest.

She and her husband traveled to Biloxi, Miss., recently and spent three days in the city. She also traveled to New York City with two of her grandchildren, and they "had a blast."

Over the summer, she spent July and August on the family's boat on Lake Lanier.

She's also networked with other women who are fighting or have conquered breast cancer.

She is involved in several breast cancer-related organizations, including Chemoflage, Night Sweats and the Triple Pink Foundation.

She also sits on the advisory board for the American Cancer Society in North Fulton County.

Mrs. Cooper said she hopes other women find inspiration in her battle with cancer and her determination to live.

She wants to reach out to as many women as possible to make them aware of the disease's serious nature.

"The biggest thing you can do is to help others," she said.