Stage III Breast Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage III
- Treatment
- surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy
- Outcome
- Cancer-Free / NED
Treatment course, step by step
- Christine had a full right mastectomy with lymph node removal.
- She then received 8 cycles of chemotherapy from May to August 2018 and 25 radiation treatments from August to October.
- She later started daily letrozole.
What happened, in summary
Christine Cosby was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in March 2018 after finding a lump in her right breast. Before treatment began, she joined a pilot study of exercise-based prehabilitation, giving her a practical way to build strength during the 2 weeks before surgery.
Christine had a full right mastectomy with lymph node removal. She then received 8 cycles of chemotherapy from May through August 2018, followed by 25 radiation treatments from August through October. Afterward, she began taking letrozole every day.
Treatment brought significant pain, fatigue, and lymphedema. Her care team referred her to an 8-week rehabilitation program that combined exercise with information about nutrition and mental health. She also used physiotherapy and massage to help manage pain and swelling. Christine felt that both prehab and rehab improved her strength, fitness, and outlook.
At the latest report, there was no sign of cancer in her body. She had recovered enough to return to work part time and was learning how to balance work, exercise, and time with her husband.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by AACR. 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