Stage III HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Tina's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Tina was 37 when she noticed that her right nipple had become sunken. Because her mother had breast cancer twice, she took the change seriously and saw her OB-GYN. A mammogram first seemed routine, but a call-back led to more imaging, ultrasound, and biopsy. She was diagnosed with Stage 3A ER-positive breast cancer with ductal carcinoma in situ and lobular carcinoma in situ. Tina chose a double mastectomy, which happened shortly after Labor Day and lasted about 10 to 11 hours. Expanders were placed, and lymph nodes were checked. Fifteen lymph nodes were removed on one side; 2 had macroscopic cancer and 2 had microscopic cancer. Her oncologist explained that skipping chemotherapy and radiation would carry a high risk, so Tina moved forward with AC-T chemotherapy: Adriamycin and Cytoxan 4 times every 2 weeks, followed by weekly Taxol for 12 weeks. Radiation came after chemotherapy. Long-term hormone therapy became part of survivorship, with daily tamoxifen and Zoladex injections every 3 months. As of June 2026, Tina was managing follow-up exams and hormone-therapy side effects while emphasizing self-advocacy, emotional support, and speaking up when something feels wrong. Her experience also shows how family history can make early self-advocacy feel urgent.