Robin’s Breast Cancer Story and the Importance of Early Diagnosis
Although she’s been responsible with her health and attended all suggested doctor’s visits throughout her life, last fall, Robin Hutchinson felt an intuitive hit to start seeing Dr. Charlie at All Ages Osteopathy. It was like her body knewsomething was happening, or about to happen, because shortly after her first appointment, Robin learned she had stage 1, level 1 breast cancer.
The Path to Diagnosis:
In November 2022, at Robin’s annual OBGYN appointment, no alarms went off during the standard in-office breast exam.
As per usual, Robin went to St John’s for her annual mammogram. When filling in the check-in questionnaire, she was informed that her chances of getting breast cancer was 1.4 – 1.6%. Robin received a call a week later that she needed to return for more testing. Something had caught the radiologist’s eye. After diagnostic testing, they discovered an “architectural distortion,” something that even an ultrasound couldn’t detect. There was no lump, just a shift in the cells.
For a rapid response, Robin went to Idaho Falls for a biopsy. The oncologist there couldn’t decipher if the shift in cells was malignant or benign, so the test results were sent to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston where the oncologist confirmed Robin had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 1, Level 1.
The doctors called it a ‘favorable cancer’ because she caught it so early. Favorable Cancer…what an expression!
Robin chose to do her treatment at the Huntsman Center in SLC. There she met her team of various oncologists. She underwent a lumpectomy, and at that time they tested the main lymph node, and through pathology, discovered it was clear of cancer. Good news! The next course of action was partial breast radiation. This is very beneficial to the patient as it only takes 10 sessions and only targets a very specific area of the breast. There is less damage done to other organs nearby. Four months later and Robin is cancer free!
Robin’s Message to the AAO Community:
Track your cycle and learn about hormones.
Something that surprised Robin about the last four months was that no one in the oncology centers, not even her own OBGYN, asked about her cycle nor if she had started menopause.
This surprised Dr. Charlie too because a woman’s period is a major indicator of health. From Robin’s breast cancer experience, Dr. Charlie learned and continued to educate herself about late menopause and the hormone’s effects on the body.
Dr. Charlie helped Robin with several aspects of her breast cancer treatment including:
Hands-on Osteopathic treatments after long car rides and abundant flights to Salt Lake City as well as uncomfortable positions in which Robin had to hold still with arms overhead for the fifteen-minute radiation treatments.
The option to use pharmaceuticals or natural remedies with less side effects.
Health advocacy, communicating with doctor’s offices and understanding medical language.
Answering Robin’s questions and providing support for treatment options, mental health concerns and most importantly, the cancer-free celebration.
When Dr. Charlie didn’t know the answer to one of Robin’s questions, she took the time to ask her peers and then she got back to Robin with more information.
Dr. Charlie believes the patient is in the driver’s seat of their health and in her breast cancer journey, Robin was grateful to have Dr. Charlie as her co-pilot.
What We Know:
Mammograms can detect breast cancer early, when it’s small, just a shift in cells, and even before a lump can be felt.
If left undetected and untreated, Robin’s breast cancer may have spread to her lymph nodes. Because she had no history of breast cancer in her family and no BRCA gene, Robin feels grateful for annual mammograms that start at the age of forty.
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that women fifty to seventy-four years old are at average risk for breast cancer and should get mammograms every two years. Women who are forty to forty-nine years old should talk to their health care provider about when to start and how often to get a mammogram. In Robin’s case, an annual mammogram gave her the opportunity to catch her breast cancer before it became ‘unfavorable.’
Your Next Steps:
Have you had a conversation with Dr. Charlie about breast cancer screening?
If not, consider having the discussion at your next visit to make sure you have a plan for this important cancer screening. The conversation can also include the risks and benefits of alternative screening modalities.
Reach out to Dr. Charlie and RN Kate for more information!
