Breast Cancer: Krista's Patient Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Biomarkers
- Pathogenic ATM mutation; hormone receptor-positive; HER2-negative; Oncotype DX score 1/100
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- surgery, hormone therapy and reconstruction
- Outcome
- Care Ongoing
Treatment course, step by step
- High-risk screening followed an inherited ATM mutation
- Abnormal breast MRI led to ultrasound, diagnostic mammogram, and requested biopsy
- Double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction was done on January 30, 2024
- A second reconstruction-related surgery followed in April 2024
- Chemotherapy was not recommended because Oncotype DX score was 1/100
- Tamoxifen was recommended for 5 years and had started about 3 months before the August 2024 video.
What happened, in summary
Krista Brown’s breast cancer story began with her mother’s diagnosis. Her mother had Stage III breast cancer, initially tested negative for BRCA1 and BRCA2, and later learned she carried a pathogenic ATM mutation. After her mother shared that result, Krista had genetic testing and learned she carried the same ATM mutation, giving her a high inherited risk for breast cancer and smaller increased risks for pancreatic and ovarian cancer.
Krista began alternating mammograms and breast MRIs every 6 months while also considering preventive surgery. A mammogram was normal, but MRI showed an abnormality. Ultrasound and diagnostic mammogram were reassuring, and 3 specialists told her it did not look like cancer. Because the finding could affect her planned surgery, Krista requested a biopsy. Two weeks before her preventive surgery, the biopsy showed breast cancer.
On January 30, 2024, she had a double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction, followed by a second surgery in April. She was able to avoid chemotherapy: her Oncotype DX score was 1 out of 100, and recurrence risk was considered very low. Her cancer was hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative, so tamoxifen was recommended for 5 years. As of August 2024, she was about 3 months into tamoxifen with manageable side effects and continued to advocate for genetic testing and informed reconstruction choices.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by The Patient Story. 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