Deb's story
| Name: |
Deb |
| State: | Pennsylvania |
|
Date of diagnosis: |
July 5, 2018 |
| Age at time of diagnosis: |
71 |
|
Stage of diagnosis: |
Stage 2 |
|
Time from 'Normal' Mammogram to diagnosis |
2 months |
|
How was cancer detected? |
Felt by Deb |
Deb's Story:
A daughter's love for her mom - Wendy, a teacher, tells the story of her mother, Deb's'diagnosis. While residing in PA, Deb is being treated at Johns Hopkins.
My mom, a retired teacher, has always had dense breast tissue and is aware of that. She has also had fluid filled cysts in her breasts for years that come and go and sometimes she has had them aspirated.
She had a mammogram in March 2018. It came back with no concerns. She also had a gynecology exam with a physical exam of the breasts in May. Again no concerns. Two weeks later, while pulling her hair up she noticed that the side of her breast was sunken in. Immediately contacted her family doctor who sent her for an ultrasound, followed by an MRI then a biopsy and five days later a diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma and a 5cm mass.
When the breast surgeon at Johns Hopkins reviewed her records he said it’s likely be growing for two years!!!
She and I both have dense breast tissue. Her cancer is not genetic it is HER2+, PR+ and ER+.
She is being treated aggressively with 6 treatments to shrink the large 5cm cancer which will be followed by surgery.
Had an ultrasound at least been done, an MRI, a Biopsy...the thought to be benign cyst is not an acceptable comment on a report from a mammogram. The protocol for early detection needs to be reviewed!!
From Deb about her mom Wendy: My mom is an amazing woman who raised me to be a strong and empathetic and compassionate woman who has a voice! Somehow, things need to change and radiologists and doctors must be more aggressive in identifying breast cancer
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