Stage II Breast Cancer: Wendi's Survivor Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage II
- Biomarkers
- Triple-positive
- Treatment
- targeted therapy, hormone therapy, a clinical trial and surgery
- Outcome
- Cancer-Free / NED
Treatment course, step by step
- The patient enrolled in a Phase II clinical trial of zanidatamab combined with endocrine therapy.
- After a strong response made the breast lump undetectable, the patient underwent a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy.
What happened, in summary
During a September bicycling trip, an unnamed patient felt a sudden stabbing pain in the right breast. A biopsy of the painful lump showed Stage II, high-grade, triple-positive breast cancer. The diagnosis was unexpected despite annual mammograms and a healthy lifestyle.
After additional testing at UT MD Anderson, the breast cancer team recommended a Phase II clinical trial combining the HER2-targeted bispecific antibody zanidatamab with endocrine therapy. The patient chose to participate. Scans soon after the second infusion showed a strong response, and the breast lump became progressively harder to feel until it was no longer detectable.
By the end of the clinical trial, the breast was clear enough for the patient to have a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy. The surgical pathology showed a complete pathological response, with no residual cancer in the breast or lymph nodes. The experience also strengthened the patient’s support for cancer research and clinical trials. Having previously supported her husband Brian through melanoma, the patient and her husband later chose to support cancer research together.
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