Stage II Breast Cancer: Natalia's Survivor Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage II
- Treatment
- surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, surveillance and supportive care
- Outcome
- Cancer-Free / NED
Treatment course, step by step
- An initial breast surgery removed the lump and confirmed cancer.
- Quadrantectomy was then performed, but cancer cells remained.
- Mastectomy with lymph-node removal was performed and showed no remaining cancer cells.
- Six rounds of chemotherapy were completed.
- Twenty-five radiation sessions were completed.
- Tamoxifen was started.
- Tamoxifen was changed to letrozole because of uterine effects.
- Follow-up visits continued every four months.
- Calcium supplementation was used for weakened calcium levels.
What happened, in summary
Natalia, from Colombia, had a hard, growing lump in her left breast. An early ultrasound found nothing, and three months passed before a mastologist removed the lump and confirmed cancer. Dissatisfied with the information and manner of her first doctor, she sought a second opinion from a specialist recommended by a friend. She was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
A quadrantectomy was performed, but cancer cells remained. Natalia then underwent mastectomy with lymph-node removal, after which no cancer cells were found. She completed six rounds of chemotherapy and 25 radiation sessions. Hormone therapy began with tamoxifen and changed to letrozole when tamoxifen affected her uterus. Diarrhea, hair loss, and hand-foot syndrome were managed with nutrition and prescribed medication.
Natalia was declared cancer-free on February 21, 2024. Follow-up moved from every three months to every four months, and she used calcium supplements for weakened levels. Insurance delays forced her to pay for some examinations and file complaints to avoid treatment delays. She hoped to return to work, travel, support her elderly parents, and watch her daughter grow up, while volunteering to help other people with cancer.
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