What happened, in summary

In late 2021, Simone Saint Laurent received a mammogram after pandemic-related screening delays. Suspicious calcifications led to a biopsy and a diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS. Her doctors recommended removal of both breasts and testing nearby lymph nodes.

Simone found the number of decisions overwhelming. She had to consider whether to have surgery on one or both breasts, whether to have lymph nodes removed, and whether she wanted reconstruction. Her care team initially assumed she would want implants, but she did not want a foreign object in her body. Conversations with transgender friends about their own breast surgeries helped her understand that she had other options. Simone ultimately chose a deep flap reconstruction using her own tissue.

Her experience also highlighted the importance of inclusive cancer care. Simone wished her clinicians had proactively asked about sexual orientation, gender identity, pronouns, and family relationships rather than leaving her to disclose that information indirectly. As she continued healing, she was considering whether any reconstruction revisions would be needed. She had moved into follow-up care and was considered to have a past history of cancer, with yearly exams potentially part of her ongoing care.