What happened, in summary

Lisa Quinn was 36 when she found a hard knot in her right breast after experiencing stabbing pain. Mammography, ultrasound, and biopsy confirmed breast cancer involving lymph nodes. MRI and PET imaging showed 7 tumors in the right breast and cancer in 5 bone sites, making the disease Stage IV. She had two young children, ages 6 and 3.

Within days, Lisa had surgery to remove her ovaries because estrogen was helping drive the cancer. She started letrozole and palbociclib, which controlled the disease for more than a year. During that period, she also had a double mastectomy. Genetic testing showed an inherited BRCA2 mutation.

After 15 months, a scan showed that a hip tumor was no longer responding. Lisa tried several other treatments, but the cancer later spread to her liver. In February 2018, she started olaparib. By June 2018, scans showed that 2 liver tumors were no longer active and a third showed about 50% less activity.

Living with metastatic cancer brought persistent worry about how much time she would have with her children. Lisa described depression after diagnosis but later focused on enjoying family life and connecting with other women with metastatic breast cancer. She also became an advocate for research funding. Lisa Quinn died on August 30, 2021.