Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Leanne's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Leanne was 55 and living on a horse farm in Nova Scotia when she described living with metastatic lobular breast cancer. She had one daughter, one grandson, and a life centered around writing and horses. Her brain metastasis changed that life, making it impossible to ride and work horses, and writing became something she could do from bed. Leanne’s first diagnosis came in September 2015 after she woke with a painful, swollen, inflamed left breast but no lump. After ultrasound, mammogram, biopsies, and physical exams, her family doctor told her she had Stage III triple-positive invasive lobular carcinoma: ER-positive, PR-positive, and HER2-positive. At first, those words meant very little to her. Once the initial shock eased, she began learning as much as she could about breast cancer subtypes and how they affect treatment decisions. On April 4, 2018, Leanne was diagnosed with metastatic lobular breast cancer. The metastatic disease included a brain metastasis that reshaped her daily function and work. She became deeply involved in education, research awareness, clinical-trial tracking, and the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project. Leanne emphasized that ILC can be especially difficult to detect and urged people to listen closely to their bodies. She also wanted newly diagnosed patients to understand that subtype can shape treatment choices.