Photo: Courtesy of Ariel Nagi
In December 2020, I went for my annual well-woman exam and was asked if I had ever done a mammogram. I was 31 years old at the time, so I had not. I’ll never forget the doctor’s words: “You’re too young to havebreast canceranyway.” One year later at my annual check up, I told my new gynecologist that I had felt a lump in my breast. I was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma a few weeks later. I was only 32 and I couldn’t stop thinking about what my previous doctor had said. I thought I was too young.
I first noticed changes in my breast at the beginning of 2021, but I admittedly didn’t think anything was wrong until months later. One night while in the shower, I looked down and noticed the lump seemed a bit swollen. It almost felt like it had grown overnight. I knew I had an upcoming appointment with my gynecologist and figured I’d just mention it then. She seemed very concerned and sent me for amammogram. The radiologist told me the mass was highly suspicious and that I needed to call a breast surgeon immediately and schedule a biopsy, which I did that same day.
I got the call with my diagnosis a few nights later as I was cooking dinner for my two kids, ages 9 and 6 at the time. I met with my surgeon that week to go over the details. I was told my breast cancer was HER2-positive, and because of that, I’d require aggressive treatment for at least one year.HER2-positive breast canceris a breast cancer that tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. It promotes the growth of cancer cells, which means it can grow and spread much faster than HER2-negative breast cancer.
Courtesy of Ariel Nagi
About 1 in 5 breast cancers test positive for this protein, and it tends to be more common in younger patients. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The first thing I thought was, “How am I going to go through these treatments and have the strength and energy to care for my kids? How do I tell them? Will I lose my hair?” I just didn’t want my kids to see me that way. I was broken.
The whirlwind after diagnosis is just as stressful as hearing the words “you have cancer.” The next few weeks were spent breaking the news to loved ones, consulting with the school psychologist and my co-parent on how to explain something like this to the kids and meeting with a medical oncologist to discuss the full treatment plan.
The thing that no one tells you about getting breast cancer at a young age is that even if you are lucky enough to catch it at an early stage like I did, it inevitably impacts your life in so many ways. It wasn’t easy for my kids to watch their once energetic and outgoing mom go through so many physical changes in a short period of time. I couldn’t get them ready for school, cook them dinner or enjoy days at the park.
Survivorship is also not as easy to navigate. It’s very likely that I can’t ever have more children due to the effects of treatment, something I am still processing. The medications I am on long-term are designed to shut down my ovaries and push me into menopause in my 30s in order to limit the hormones that can make my cancer grow.
These medicines cause a variety of unpleasant side effects like hot flashes, fatigue, bone and joint pain and issues with intimacy, things someone my age isn’t supposed to go through. It’s hard for me to enjoy the things a normal person my age should, like mimosas at brunch with friends because I am afraid too much alcohol will increase my risk of a recurrence. I do allow myself to enjoy drinks occasionally, but it is not without constant guilt and fear that my cancer could return at any moment.
I am about nine months into treatment and it still stings every time I hear those words, “but you’re so young.” It’s true thatonly about 9% percent of new cases of breast cancer in the United States are in women under the age of 45. But young women diagnosed with breast cancer often find it at a later stage since we aren’t at the age for annual mammograms yet, and it’s usually more aggressive.
Sometimes I wonder if there was more awareness about breast cancer in young women, would I have gotten my lump checked sooner? I try not to go down the road of blaming myself.Breast cancer cases are rising among young women, and my hope for the future is that we raise more awareness around early detection for younger women.
Statistics show thatyounger women tend to have a worse prognosis, are more likely to get diagnosed at stage 4 – which is not curable – and are more likely to have a stage 4 recurrence when diagnosed at an early stage. Though this journey has been tough, it has taught me to advocate for myself and pay attention to my needs.
If something feels off, speak up and don’t stop until you are heard. I also have a new love and appreciation for my body after all that it’s fought through, and the love and support I have received from family, friends and fellow survivors and thrivers is something I will cherish forever.
source: people.com
