Stage II BRCA1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Roxana's Patient Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage II
- Subtype
- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
- Biomarkers
- BRCA1 positive
- Sex
- female
- Treatment
- chemotherapy and surgery
- Outcome
- Care Ongoing
Treatment course, step by step
- Roxana completed 7 rounds of chemotherapy.
- She underwent a bilateral mastectomy in May 2016.
What happened, in summary
Roxana Lopez was 25 when she was diagnosed with Stage II invasive ductal carcinoma in her left breast in August 2015. Breast and ovarian cancer had affected several women in her family, including her mother, who died of breast cancer when Roxana and her twin sister Ana were 17.
Soon after diagnosis, Roxana had genetic counseling and tested positive for a BRCA1 mutation. The result helped connect her diagnosis with her family history and prompted her siblings to consider testing. All three of Roxana's siblings, including Ana and their two older brothers, were also found to carry the mutation.
Roxana completed 7 rounds of chemotherapy. In May 2016, she underwent a bilateral mastectomy. Ana, who had not been diagnosed with cancer, chose a preventive double mastectomy in February 2016 because of her own BRCA1 result and family history.
Roxana continued to advocate for genetic testing and family communication. She began scheduling regular screening for breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, as well as melanoma. Her experience also strengthened her interest in nursing and in helping other people facing cancer.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MD Anderson. 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