The aim of this article is to better understand how women with breast cancer protect themselves against their disease, using a holistic approach which takes into account cognitive, subjective, biologic, and social factors. This approach leads to the development of a typology of feminine protection, something currently absent from the French health system. Theory: The concept of protection comes from the theory of salutogenesis. It brings together factors which help explain the way women think while going through their cancer, and how they try to maintain themselves in good health in such an extreme situation. Methodology: The research is based on a mixed method. This article discusses the results of quantitative data analysis, with some insights from qualitative data. Our findings identify three distinctive types of women with regard to the types of protection they put in place (cluster analysis). Results: The typology demonstrates three types of protection: (1) an ineffective protection characterized by weak SOC and stress, an internal control over the cause of cancer, a medium self-efficacy, and recourse to protection instincts; (2) a mixed protection marked by a weak SOC and strong stress, internal control over the cause of cancer, a low self-efficacy, and a strong difficulty in confronting authority; and (3) an effective protection expressed by a strong SOC and a weak stress, an internal control over the course of cancer, a high self-efficacy, and the capacity to act in face of danger. In short, in our sample, one woman in two encounter difficulties protecting herself against breast cancer, and one woman in four does not manage to do so. Conclusion: The typology offers a clinical framework to help women maintain their health in the face of cancer, allowing health professionals to identify those who have difficulties protecting themselves effectively.