How One Clinical Trial Transformed a Recurrence into an Ongoing Victory

Janet K. always suspected breast cancer might be in her future. Her mother had confronted the disease twice, and her sister had also been diagnosed. Vigilance with mammograms became her routine, and this caution proved invaluable. When Janet received her own diagnosis, it was stage I breast cancer caught early, showing no lymph node involvement. After surgery, she began a five-year course of tamoxifen, confident that her journey with breast cancer was largely behind her.

About four years into recovery, a follow-up screening mammogram revealed a suspicious finding in the small amount of breast tissue remaining post-mastectomy. A subsequent biopsy confirmed a recurrence. Further testing, including a PET scan and bone biopsy, showed that the cancer had metastasized to her left iliac bone. Her treatment team recommended a lumpectomy and a bilateral oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries), and then presented the option of joining a phase I clinical trial.

The trial focused on a combination of a new drug, palbociclib, paired with letrozole. Once clearance was given to monitor her bone tumor rather than immediately treat it with radiation, Janet began this promising regimen. Nine months later, a scan showed no sign of cancer in her body—and this status has held steady for more than five years. She continues to take letrozole daily and palbociclib on a four-week cycle, a protocol she will follow indefinitely as long as it keeps her disease in check.

Thanks to these targeted therapies, Janet leads what she describes as an “extraordinary” life. There are no visible indicators that she is living with stage 4 cancer, underscoring the importance of ongoing research and clinical trials for metastatic breast cancer. Her story highlights that a recurrence—even one that has spread—does not necessarily preclude a high-quality, fulfilling life.