Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Dee's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Dee was 31 and breastfeeding in 2017 when pain in her left breast was followed by a large lump. Her symptoms were initially minimized because of her age, but she kept pushing for answers and eventually had an ultrasound through a private hospital. She was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer involving invasive ductal carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ, and the cancer was ER-positive. Treatment began with neoadjuvant AC-T chemotherapy, followed by a bilateral mastectomy and radiotherapy. The treatment was physically and emotionally difficult. Dee dealt with radiation burns, a painful capsular contracture around her implant, identity loss, and later PTSD. Trying to return to normal too quickly also contributed to health setbacks, including pneumonia and hospitalization. In 2023, Dee learned that the cancer had spread to her bones, changing her diagnosis to Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. She adjusted to new treatment with ribociclib and focused on rebuilding life around her mental health, her children, and support from an online cancer community. As of October 2024, Dee was living with metastatic breast cancer while continuing to embrace time with her family and the life she had rebuilt. Her story also emphasizes self-advocacy after early symptoms were dismissed and the importance of emotional care after physical treatment.