Breast cancer is a serious threat to women’s health. Early-stage breast cancer is defined as a small lump or a clinically undetectable lump, and the initial diagnosis is made only by special examination methods. If the diagnosis is still based on “lumps”, it is difficult to detect early breast cancer. The initial diagnosis can be made by obtaining clues from medical history and predisposing factors. Predisposing factors include: family history; no child >35 years old; first full-term birth >35 years old; menstruation >35 years old or menarche <12 years old; bloody nipple overflow; limited thickening of breast; contralateral breast after breast cancer surgery. Attention should be paid to glandular thickening, nipple overflow, nipple erosion, mild nipple retraction, mild local skin indentation, mild areola edema, and postmenopausal breast pain. With careful pursuit, even if there is early breast cancer hidden, it will not be missed. At present, none of the examination methods are perfect, but each has its own strengths, so a proper combination of them can improve the detection rate of early breast cancer. Clinical examination, B-ultrasound, digital mammography and fine needle aspiration cytology have a combined diagnostic rate of over 90%. Early detection of breast cancer is not a wish, but a reality. For the sake of women's health, it is advisable for women over 35 years old to have a mammogram once every six months to once a year.