BRCA Breast Cancer: Christie's Patient Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Biomarkers
- BRCA mutation
- Sex
- female
- Treatment
- chemotherapy and surgery
- Outcome
- Care Ongoing
Treatment course, step by step
- Received 8 rounds of chemotherapy every 3 weeks.
- Underwent a bilateral mastectomy.
What happened, in summary
Christie Siebel learned through genetic testing that she carried a BRCA mutation after breast cancer had affected other members of her family. At age 30, shortly after the birth of her daughter, she noticed a breast lump while breastfeeding. A biopsy showed triple-negative breast cancer.
Christie received 8 rounds of chemotherapy every 3 weeks, followed by a bilateral mastectomy. She also chose breast reconstruction. She continued working as a clinical dietitian through treatment, scheduling chemotherapy on Fridays so the fatigue and nausea would often be worst over the weekend and she could return to work by Monday or Tuesday.
The experience changed how Christie related to patients dealing with treatment side effects, work and family responsibilities. At the latest update, she was doing well and attending annual breast cancer follow-up. Her later ovarian cancer diagnosis is handled separately so its surgery and chemotherapy are not mixed into this breast cancer record.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MD Anderson. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer