Breast Cancer: Catherine's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Catherine Goff was first diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma while in college in the 1970s. Years later, she developed breast cancer, described as a secondary cancer associated with the high doses of chest radiation she had received for lymphoma. Her experience spans two different cancers and other health complications, but the breast cancer journey became one part of a long life that continued well beyond treatment. Catherine later reflected on the physical and emotional effects of both diagnoses with her daughter, Haley, including how cancer had shaped their family. By the time of the podcast, she was living a full, happy life after both cancer diagnoses and the other health challenges she had faced.

Where this story comes from

This is a lay summary of an account first published by Dana-Farber. Read the original in full

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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

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