What happened, in summary

Virgie Shaw was 75 when she finally sought care for a left-breast mass she had noticed 15 months earlier. A retired licensed practical nurse, she had delayed evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic even as the mass grew larger and painful. In April 2021, concern about becoming a burden on her family pushed her to see her primary care physician. Imaging showed a worrisome left-breast mass about 3 cm wide and an enlarged lymph node under the left arm. Biopsies of the tumor and lymph node clarified the diagnosis: Stage I invasive lobular carcinoma, with no cancer found in the lymph node. Before surgery, Virgie needed cardiology clearance because a routine EKG suggested she had recently had a heart attack without realizing it. The heart attack had not caused lasting damage, and she was cleared for surgery. Her surgeon performed a partial mastectomy, removing the tumor, surrounding breast tissue, and the questionable lymph node. Virgie recovered quickly. The cancer had not spread, and no chemotherapy or radiation is described. No further treatment was required except taking hormonal therapy medication regularly. As of January 2022, Virgie was doing well after surgery and used her experience to urge others not to delay evaluation when something feels wrong.