Stage II Breast Cancer: Mina's Survivor Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage II
- Treatment
- chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and supportive care
- Outcome
- Cancer-Free / NED
Treatment course, step by step
- Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given.
- Radiation therapy was given.
- After a good response, the planned mastectomy was changed to lumpectomy, which was performed.
- A cold cap was used to reduce hair loss.
What happened, in summary
Mina had no symptoms when a mammogram found a tumor during health checks arranged in her final month of job-based insurance. She was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and felt frightened, helpless, and worried.
The original treatment plan included mastectomy. After a good response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy, her doctor recommended lumpectomy instead, and Mina agreed to the less extensive surgery. She also used nutritional supplements and traditional Japanese herbs alongside cancer treatment. Hair loss, reduced appetite, nausea, and vomiting were among the treatment effects, and she used a cold cap and focused on nutrition.
Mina later said she was in remission and no longer required medication. She reduced her alcohol intake, adopted a healthier diet, and stayed in closer contact with her parents. Cancer delayed her hope of opening a bakery, but that goal continued to motivate her. She also hoped to visit relatives in Japan and attend her sister’s wedding, while fear of recurrence and future medical costs remained concerns.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Our Cancer Stories. 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