Mary Jo Buttafuoco Reveals Breast Cancer Battle, Undergoing Radiation

Author and motivational speaker Mary Jo Buttafuoco has breast cancer, TMZ has learned.

Mary tells TMZ ... "I recently found a lump in my left breast. I immediately scheduled a mammogram, followed up with my doctors, and received a diagnosis of Stage 1 Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) of the left breast."

We're told she was diagnosed earlier this summer ... and had surgery to remove the growth.

Mary, who recently executive produced a biopic on her life which aired on Lifetime earlier this year, tells us ... "Yes, hearing 'cancer' is scary, but there is also something incredibly important I want people to hear: I caught it early."

According to Mary, paying attention to her body and taking action is what's allowed her to be proactive as far as getting treatment and healing.

She says ... "I've walked through some incredibly difficult chapters in my life. I've survived things that I never imagined I would survive. And I have learned that life can change in an instant, but so can our perspective, our strength, and our ability to keep moving forward."

Mary explained this is just another chapter of her story ... noting she's navigating it and is optimistic about her battle.

She continued ... "And if there's one thing I've learned about myself after everything I've been through, it's this: I am a survivor, and I will survive this, too."

As you know, Mary survived getting shot in the face in 1992 by a 17-year-old girl who was being sexually abused by Mary's then-husband.

Mary's urging people to take care of themselves, hoping her diagnosis will be a reminder to other women.

She concluded ... "We spend so much time caring for the people we love, we have to remember to care for ourselves, too. Get your mammograms. Keep up with your screenings. Pay attention to changes in your body. And if something doesn't feel right, get it checked."