Breast Cancer: Greta's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Greta Tietze-Stein was 52 when she described breast cancer diagnosed in 2006. A breast inflammation led her to notice a palpable change and see her gynecologist. Ultrasound showed an unclear finding, followed by mammography and biopsy. Because the diagnosis still was not fully clear, a frozen-section test during breast-conserving surgery confirmed breast cancer. A micrometastasis was found in a sentinel lymph node. Greta moved quickly into treatment because she wanted to start and finish each step without delay. Her care included chemotherapy, radiation therapy, trastuzumab antibody therapy, and hormone therapy. She carefully documented appointments and made sure no treatment was missed. She also used homeopathy to support her immune system and help with a severe intestinal mucosal inflammation, and she spoke with a psycho-oncologist about fear before follow-up visits. Greta later had her ovaries removed preventively because her grandmother had died of a gynecologic cancer. Her family was central to recovery. She and her husband spoke openly with their 3 sons, who were 9, 14, and 16, and arranged psychological support for the children. After treatment, Greta tried to listen more closely to her body, do good things for herself, and live with the goal of growing old while staying active and connected.