Breast cancer no longer a death sentence; survivors say early detection crucial

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; a time to remind women to take charge of their breast health.
Breast cancer is no longer an automatic death sentence. Many of us are living proof that early detection, vigilance and aggressive treatment can, if not beat the odds, at least beat them back for a good long time.
This year, one in eight women will get breast cancer. If you live in Contra Costa County, the odds are worse; more like one in seven. No one really knows why. Researchers have looked at everything from environmental factors and genetics to diet and lifestyle choices. And although they’ve pretty well nailed down the risk factors, the odds of getting it don’t seem to change.
What we do know is early detection and aggressive treatment save lives. Women do survive breast cancer. Even women with metastatic disease—cancer that has spread to other organs—live for decades, managing their disease.
Tamara Simbirdi was just 40 when she had her first mammogram four years ago.
The first mammogram is a “baseline.” It’s a screening tool and what radiologists use for comparison to subsequent x-rays.
Tamara had none of the obvious risk factors typically associated with breast cancer. She was young, she did not wait until after 30 to have children, there was no history of breast cancer in her family, she didn’t drink and she wasn’t overweight. She is a distance cyclist and teaches exercise classes.
“I was in the best shape of my life,” she said.
Diagnosed with an aggressive, pre-menopausal breast cancer,  “scared to death,” and with three young children, Tamara faced some tough treatment decisions.
Her course of action “became crystal clear,” she said, when her frightened 11-year-old daughter said “Mommy, do whatever you have to do to make sure this never comes back.”
Tamara opted for a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. When post surgery tests came back showing the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes, she knew she made the right decision.
Self-exam another tool
At 39, Deidre Zigler, had not yet had her baseline mammogram. She discovered her cancer during her own regular breast self-examination (BSE).
There is a fair amount of disagreement among the medical pundits about the effectiveness of the BSE. Many say it should be skipped, arguing that it isn’t a good replacement for clinical exams or mammography. Let them argue, but do your BSE.
What Deidre found with her fingers nine years ago was a lump that had already spread to the bone in her arm. Her disease was Stage IV, technically incurable. But, even Stage IV can be managed. Just in the last decade metastatic treatment has made impressive advances. Hormone suppressants, immunotherapy, bone-building drugs and most recently, targeted cell therapy keep women living longer and healthier, even with metastatic disease.
My own story begins with a mammogram, but it was a clinical exam that saved my life.
The routine mammogram showed nothing remarkable and the radiologist was recommending a follow up in six months. But, an astute and observant nurse had not liked what she saw when she did a visual exam. She flagged the x-ray and told the radiologist “I have a bad feeling about this.”
She was right. It was invasive breast cancer, a fast-moving and deadly form.
That was 20 years ago.
It’s October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Turn your clocks back, change your smoke alarm batteries and get get those girls in for a checkup.