Scottish Executive Minister Rhona Brankin spoke out yesterday about her shock at discovering she had breast cancer and received cross-party praise for speaking out about her illness.

The Deputy Sports and Culture Minister, who is preparing to undergo a mastectomy and breast reconstruction early next week, said her diagnosis had come like ''a bolt out of the blue''.

Ms Brankin spoke about her ordeal after discovering a small lump in her breast two and a half weeks ago - just days before her 50th birthday.

She said she had been carrying out self-examination for 10 to 12 years and was level-headed enough to know that it might be nothing. However, she added: ''I knew there was a possibility it might be cancer and I knew enough about it to go straight to my doctor.''

Ms Brankin, who is married with two daughters, was interviewed for Scottish Television and BBC Scotland yesterday, after her illness was revealed on Wednesday, and appeared optimistic about the future, even joking that her reconstructive surgery may leave her looking ''like Pamela Anderson''.

When asked why she was so upbeat and determined to be back at work within six weeks, she added: ''It's easy, I feel really healthy. It was a bit of a bolt out of the blue because I did not feel ill whatsoever but that is often the case with breast cancer when it is detected early.''

She discovered the lump after returning from a holiday abroad with her husband Peter Jones, a journalist for The Economist magazine, and was referred to the one-stop breast clinic at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital.

It is understood there is no history of breast cancer in Ms Brankin's family and she is not a smoker, factors that added to her shock at being diagnosed. She is expected to be admitted to the Western on Monday.

She stressed however, that early diagnosis was the key to beating what is the most common cancer among women in Scotland.

From the 3000 women a year who develop it, more than 1300 die. However, the survival rates five years on from diagnosis have risen from 66% to almost 75%, thanks to advances in drug and surgical procedures.

Ms Brankin urged women yesterday to see their doctor ''even for the tiniest lump'' but said she hoped her case would prove the battle was being won in the fight against the disease. She added: ''I think it is really important we get rid of so many of the myths that still surround this illness.

''I, in common with many other women, know of women who have had breast cancer and who have been treated and they are fine. It's one of these things we have to be open about. If we are going to encourage more women to be breast cancer aware we have to be up front but also let people know it is not the kind of killer disease it used to be.''

Her stance attracted praise from her cross-party colleagues as Ms Brankin revealed that First Minister Donald Dewar and Education Minister Sam Galbraith had told her to take as much time as she needed.

Mr Dewar said yesterday: ''Of course I am upset and anxious on her behalf but she is in good spirits and we hope to have her back soon.''

In the chamber, the SNP's health spokeswoman, Ms Kay Ullrich, expressed her admiration for Mr Brankin: ''She is to be commended for speaking out publicly about her illness.''

However, the SNP inspired-debate put the Executive in an embarrassing position by addressing its failure to ensure that all women suffering from breast cancer received potentially life-saving drugs.

Ms Ullrich said she was shocked at what appeared to be post-code prescribing of drugs, such as Taxol and Taxotere, which have revolutionised the care of sufferers.