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Before a routine mammogram in July 2012, Sian Bevans noticed a lump in her left breast. Ultrasound and biopsy confirmed that the lump was related to fibrocystic breast changes, but the mammogram also showed calcifications in her right breast. Sian delayed the recommended follow-up while starting a demanding new job. After learning that calcifications could be serious, she returned for evaluation the following January.
Mammography, ultrasound, and biopsies of the right breast and underarm found Stage IIB triple-positive breast cancer involving lymph nodes. Her treatment plan included bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and a radical hysterectomy, followed by 10 years of maintenance medication. Sian followed the full plan with support from her family, faith, and medical team.
At age 55, Sian was 11 years past diagnosis. She completed the maintenance medication in May 2025 and felt more like herself again. Looking back, she emphasized listening to changes in the body, completing recommended follow-up, and staying involved in treatment decisions.
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Cleveland Clinic. Read the original in full
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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