Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Kris's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Kris lives in West Central Florida and is a retired closed captioner. Years before her diagnosis, back injuries from a 2013 motor vehicle accident led to lumbar spine MRI imaging. The radiology report raised the possibility of metastatic cancer in the spine, possibly multiple myeloma, but PET scan, bone scan, and bloodwork were negative. Similar concerns appeared again on later MRIs in 2015 and 2016. A bone marrow biopsy, more scans, and tumor marker tests still did not lead to a diagnosis, even though her tumor markers were high. In October 2018, Kris began having trouble eating more than a few bites before feeling full and nauseated. She quickly lost 17 pounds. An endoscopy in April 2019 led to a biopsy, and the next week she learned she had breast cancer that had traveled to her stomach. The diagnosis was occult de novo Stage IV invasive lobular carcinoma, meaning the breast primary had never been found. Kris described ILC involving her bone, bone marrow, and stomach, from skull to femurs. She later participated in LBCA and Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance advocacy so that people who sense something is wrong keep looking for answers. Her story centered on persistence when early tests fail to explain symptoms.