Stage II Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Tara's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Tara was 50 when routine breast imaging found invasive lobular carcinoma. She had dense breast tissue and a history of many mammogram call-backs, so screening had often been difficult to interpret. Shortly after her 50th birthday in August 2022, a routine mammogram and sonogram showed architectural distortion. Diagnostic imaging led to a compression biopsy, and her doctor called the next day with the diagnosis: invasive lobular carcinoma. MRI showed more areas of concern, making lumpectomy less straightforward. Tara found Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance resources and sought care from a New York surgeon who recommended bilateral mastectomy. She had surgery in September with tissue expanders placed the same day. Her surgeon later told her that margins were clear and the lymph nodes looked good. Pathology showed cancer in all 4 quadrants of the left breast, lymphovascular invasion, Stage II disease, and lobular carcinoma in situ in the right breast. A Boston consultation confirmed that her treatment course was sufficient and that chemotherapy was not needed; it would also have been dangerous because of her heart history. As of April 2023, Tara was in survivorship and advocating for better awareness of lobular breast cancer. Her story is also a reminder that dense breasts can make routine screening harder to interpret.