Nicole S. was a mom to two little boys and a busy orthodontist when she noticed a change in her left breast in 2022. She had just stopped breastfeeding her baby and thought that could be reason for the unusual “rubbery consistency” of her breast.
“My husband encouraged me to get it checked out to be safe,” Nicole, who was 33 at the time, said. “It never occurred to me that it could be cancer.”
Acting Fast
Nicole contacted her obstetrician, who responded right away and ordered an ultrasound and a diagnostic mammogram. During the appointment, the nurse’s request for additional images made Nicole nervous. Instead of waiting for the results to be sent to her doctor, she asked to speak to the radiologist.
“My insurance was actually changing to a PPO plan in about two weeks,” Nicole recalled. “So that really encouraged me to advocate for myself because of this timeline.”
The radiologist told Nicole that although he didn’t find a solid mass, he saw a lot of microcalcifications in the upper half of her left breast. “He specifically said he didn’t think it was cancer, but he didn’t know what it was,” she said.
Nicole pleaded to have a biopsy done that same day. “Being an orthodontist, it’s really hard for me to take a day off because I see anywhere from 80 to 100 patients,” she said. “I was really grateful they were able to do it all right then, God was already on the move.”
The Results
A few days later, Nicole was getting ready for work when her doctor called. She was diagnosed with stage 3, HER2-positive, hormone receptor-negative invasive ductal carcinoma with a subcategory of inflammatory breast cancer.
After telling her husband the shocking news, she called her parents. Her mom, a nurse of over 40 years, jumped in to help by reaching out to her professional network. “Before I even had my insurance changed over, I had an appointment with a top breast oncologist scheduled,” Nicole said. “Thanks to my mom’s help and her friend who worked as a breast cancer coordinator.”
Nicole’s aggressive treatment plan was difficult and resulted in her taking time off work. She had six rounds of chemotherapy every three weeks. Her chemotherapy regimen, called TCHP, includes two chemotherapy drugs (taxotere and carboplatin) and two HER2-targeted therapies (herceptin and perjeta), which caused her to have extreme nausea and brain fog. Then, she underwent a non-nipple-sparing double mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection, plus 33 rounds of radiation therapy.
“I remember thinking I don’t ever want to go through this again. I went with this aggressive treatment plan knowing that if it ever did come back, I will know I did everything I could,” she said.
Life After Cancer
At the time of her breast cancer diagnosis, Nicole was also in the early stages of buying her own orthodontic practice. Although she feels strong and healthy again today, Nicole isn’t sure if she will ever consider that path again.
“I enjoy being an orthodontist, getting to know and care for my patients. But right now, when I leave work, I don’t have the stress of also running a business,” she said. “I get to be present and intentional with my family and enjoy life to the fullest with them.” Reflecting on her journey, Nicole added, “God put all these people in place to help me get this all figured out, and I am so grateful.”
Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.
