Q. How was your breast cancer discovered?
A. I am alive because I got annual screening. I went in for a regularly scheduled mammogram and they actually identified something when it was only a quarter of an inch. The reason why they saw it was because they could compare it to the year before and see the difference.
Q. When did you start having mammograms?
A. I had my first mammogram when I was 38 because my mother had a very early stage, almost pre-cancerous, and my grandmother died of breast cancer. I was 51 when I was first diagnosed.
Q. What does your organization recommend regarding mammograms?
A. Women should have a clinical exam with their physician every three years starting at age 30, and mammograms starting at age 40, earlier if appropriate. Women should be aware of what is normal for them, and if someone has a family history, with breast cancer starting younger than age 40, then we certainly encourage the daughters to start mammograms earlier. But these are all questions women should have with their physicians.
Q. What treatment did you have?
A. I had a lumpectomy and chemotherapy because it was already invasive and very aggressive. I also had radiation and targeted therapy called herceptin.
Q. Tell me about your recurrence.
A. I had been in remission for three years and then in April 2010 I had a recurrence. I had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. I just believe so strongly that I’m alive because of annual screening and following through. I will continue to raise that flag with anybody and everybody I can.
Q. What about your daughter? When will she have screenings?
A. She’s 14 and she’ll start getting clinical exams at age 20 because of my history and she’ll start mammogram screening at age 35.
Q. Are young women being diagnosed more often?
A. We are finding greater incidences of younger women getting diagnosed with breast cancer and often very aggressive cancer. Young women need to be a strong advocate for themselves, to push back much harder with not only physicians but with insurance companies to make sure they’re getting the proper screening at the proper time.
