Many women with lobular breast cancer who have found their way to the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA) after they were diagnosed want to help build a community among peers, to share the most current information about ILC detection, treatment and clinical trials, and to raise awareness about this common yet understudied and sneaky breast cancer that needs more research. Sharing their stories is just one of those ways.

Meet Evelyn

My name is Evelyn, and I am a 34-year-old, Mexican American woman from L.A. I’m a graduate student, working on my master’s degree in marine biology.

I suspected something was wrong when I first felt something hard on the underside of my right breast in September of 2019. It didn’t feel like the breast “lump” that everyone talks about. I didn’t think much of it. Later that month I told my doctor. She felt my breasts and said she felt something, but it was probably nothing because I was so young.

Five months, a mammogram, and an ultrasound later, my doctors discovered a large mass and enlarged lymph nodes. Three biopsies after that I got the call that I had invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in my breast tissue and lymph node, and ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS). I also had ILC in my left breast.  I was already stage 3C when my ILC tumor was found!

Jumping into Action

As a graduate researcher, I jumped into action and found research on ILC in medical journals. It was clear that there is not much information on this type of cancer, and I am interested in learning more about ILC prognosis in women less than 40 years of age.

I reached out to LBCA because I was interested in finding out more and building a connection with individuals that are as passionate as me about educating others about the necessity to invest more money and research into lobular cancer. Through LBCA I have been able to be a part of helping women be their own personal advocates and to ensure that women have the available resources or information to aid in early detection. I also want to tell those recently diagnosed with ILC: Use all the diagnostic tools available to you. This disease is very sneaky! You have to pay close attention to it.

Would you like to tell others your ILC story? Send an email to communications@lobularbreastcancer.org to request more information.