There are some dates I'll never forget.
February 11, 2012. While getting ready for a friend's party, I
scratched an itch. During this fateful scratch, there was a palpable
lump in my left breast which I had never felt before. I quickly
consulted Google. The results I found were reassuring. Between 80 and 85
percent of breast lumps are benign. Comforting odds. But, it also says
to consult a medical professional. I was fairly confident it was just a
cyst. I was only 30 years old, and my family does not have a strong
history of cancer.
February 27, 2012. I have an appointment to visit the
gynecologist. I told the nurse practitioner I was there because I felt
what seemed to be a cyst in my left breast. She did the exam, and told
me the lump was not a cyst and it felt solid. She said I needed a
mammogram and ultrasound within the week. I nervously called and made
the next available appointment. I am fairly confident that whatever was
in my breast would be benign. It had to be; I'm only 30 years old.
February 29, 2012. I arrive for my mammogram and ultrasound.
I'm surrounded by much older women in the waiting room. After my exams
are finished, a radiologist arrives in my room. She tells me my images
are suspicious and I immediately need a biopsy. I am completely
blindsided by this news and burst into tears. Someone from pathology
also arrives in my room to look at slides of the tissue taken from the
fine-needle aspiration biopsy of my breast. Once those are done, the
radiologist says she needs to do an invasive biopsy called a core
biopsy, because the results of the first one are suspicious. I ask if
it's suspicious for malignancy. She says yes. I immediately start
sobbing. I am only 30 years old. I've never been married. I've never had
children. I cannot have cancer. I call my brother to meet me at the
doctor's office as soon as possible, because I am there alone. I am
called into the radiologist's office and my worst fear is confirmed: I
have breast cancer, and at least one lymph node is malignant. Calling my
parents and telling them I have cancer is the hardest thing I have ever
done in my life.
The days following my diagnosis I decided to have a bilateral
mastectomy, as my surgeon told me the tumor was about 3.5cm and I was
not an ideal candidate to have a lumpectomy. Luckily I was able to have
reconstruction at the same time, so I wouldn't need to have a separate
procedure. A PET scan confirmed the cancer was only in my left breast
and one lymph node, and I was still in Stage II.
The day before my surgery, I was dealt a blow. The core biopsy
revealed I have triple negative breast cancer, which is more rare and
aggressive. There is no question at this point I will require
chemotherapy. Triple negative breast cancer is very responsive to
chemotherapy, even though I have limited options to drugs. While there
is a chemotherapy regimen I can be treated with, I will not be able to
take Tamoxifen, which is a pill survivors with hormone positive tumors
take for five years after chemotherapy to cut recurrence risk by up to
50 percent.
March 13, 2012. The mastectomy and reconstruction is a success, and I am technically cancer-free.
April 19, 2012. I start chemotherapy. The first four rounds
were Adriamycin and Cytoxen, every other week. The next twelve rounds
were Abraxane, after an allergic reaction to Taxol. Chemotherapy is
extremely physically challenging. The fatigue, sensitivity to smells,
loss of appetite and general malaise was very hard to deal with day
after day. Sometimes, just getting out of bed and going for a walk was
considered a victory. I will finish chemotherapy October 2, 2012. On
October 22, 2012, I will begin radiation for five weeks.
A blessing from this diagnosis is meeting other survivors. It's not
easy going to all my doctor's appointments and always being the youngest
patient. One of the organizations I've become involved with is the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation.
Since TNBC affects mostly younger women, it’s comforting to meet other
people my age. Most importantly, it gives me to hope to meet many people
living and thriving years after this devastating disease has rattled
their lives.
Since October is breast cancer awareness month, my advice to women is
to know your body. If your breasts appear swollen, tender, or you feel
any lumps, make an appointment with your gynecologist. Breast cancer
does not discriminate, and it does not care how old you are.
I thought 30 was too young to be diagnosed with breast cancer; and sadly, I was wrong.
Annie Goodman is a producer for "Your World With Neil Cavuto" at
Fox News Channel in New York City. Look for more articles and updates
from Annie on her fight against triple negative breast cancer on FoxNewsHealth.com throughout the month of October.