Stage II BRCA1 Breast Cancer: Mariana's Patient Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage II
- Biomarkers
- BRCA1 positive
- Sex
- female
- Treatment
- surgery
Treatment course, step by step
- The patient chose a double mastectomy as part of her breast cancer care.
- She later underwent reconstructive surgery, with tissue expanders replaced by implants.
What happened, in summary
At age 30, this patient found a large lump in her left breast after noticing a brief pain. A mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy led to a Stage II breast cancer diagnosis. Because several relatives had developed cancer at young ages, she was also referred for genetic counseling and tested positive for a BRCA1 mutation.
Before chemotherapy was due to begin, she met with an oncofertility specialist because treatment could affect fertility. She completed 2 weeks of fertility medication and an egg-retrieval procedure so that eggs could be frozen for the future. The BRCA1 result then helped guide her surgical decision-making. She chose a double mastectomy to reduce the risk of recurrence and later underwent breast reconstruction, with tissue expanders replaced by implants.
The mutation also changed how she approached future cancer risk. Because BRCA1 can increase ovarian cancer risk, she planned ovarian screening every 6 months and intended to consider ovary removal after having children. Her relatives also pursued testing and preventive options.
After treatment, she described herself as a breast cancer survivor, volunteered to support other young patients and looked forward to returning to flamenco dancing, Zumba, yoga and everyday activities.
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