Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Anabel's Patient Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage IV
- Subtype
- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- chemotherapy, radiation, a clinical trial and supportive care
- Outcome
- Living With Cancer
Treatment course, step by step
- Infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma with metastasis diagnosed after family history of breast cancer and glioblastoma
- chemotherapy from September 2019 to February 2020
- radiation therapy after chemotherapy
- supportive care with psychology, physiotherapy for lymphedema, dermatology for skin care during radiation, and kinesiology/meditation
- clinical trial with focal dentists
- later clinical trial with Dr. Josefina Cruz at HUB focused on slowing metastasis.
What happened, in summary
Anabel’s breast cancer story was shaped by family loss. Her sister and mother had both died from cancer, and Anabel had cared for them before facing her own diagnosis. About 1.5 years after losing her mother, she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, specifically infiltrating ductal carcinoma, and was given an estimated life expectancy of 5 years. She began chemotherapy in September 2019 and continued until February 2020. Radiation therapy followed. Although she managed chemotherapy and COVID relatively well, radiation left lasting problems with memory and concentration. Anabel decided early that quality of life had to be part of treatment, not an afterthought. She worked with a psychologist to manage worry, a physiotherapist for lymphedema, a dermatologist to care for her skin during radiation, and a kinesiologist who helped her meditate before sleep. She also explored clinical trials, including 1 with focal dentists and another with Dr. Josefina Cruz at HUB focused on slowing metastasis. As of July 2022, Anabel was living with metastatic breast cancer while building Vivir es Urgente, a project focused on preventive, integrative, and regenerative oncology so patients could receive support around nutrition, exercise, psychology, and recovery from treatment.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MatchTrial Historias Reales. 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