I’d been going for mammograms every year or two since the age of 40. Each time, I got an “All clear.” It was noted that I had dense breasts, and one year an automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS) was recommended. But just that one year.
During my annual exam with my gynecologist in 2023, she noticed that one breast felt a bit firmer than the other. She ordered a diagnostic mammogram, which came back clear. She then ordered an ultrasound that also came back clear. She then said she wanted me to see a breast surgeon “just in case there’s any other test they wanted to run.”
I’d suspected she “knew” something when she persisted after the diagnostic mammogram. By the time I met with the PA at the breast surgeon’s office, my nipple had started to invert. She took one look at me and ordered an MRI. Finally, on that test, it was confirmed I had a large tumor in my left breast. After imaging and biopsy, it came back as hormone receptor positive, HER2- lobular carcinoma stage 3 (one lymph node was involved).
To be honest, not much was said to me about ILC once I was diagnosed. They explained that it grows differently and that it’s hard to detect on mammograms. That made me angry because I’d been going for regular mammograms and always got a thumbs up. I was walking around thinking I was fine, while this tumor slowly grew for a few years according to my care team. Had it been caught earlier, I might have avoided chemo. I also had dense breast tissue, but was only once advised to get an ABUS. So, my treatment choices were decided based on what I was told by the tumor board. I had chemo, followed by a mastectomy, followed by radiation, followed by reconstruction. I’m now regularly monitored and on Letrozole for the next 10 years.
My gynecologist is truly my hero. I never knew breast cancer could grow in a way that would not form a lump. Even with having some breast pain in 2023, on self-exam I felt no lump so I didn’t think it could be cancer. And every time I got a clear mammogram, I believed it. I wish I’d known about ILC sooner. I didn’t find LBCA until after my treatment ended, but I’m grateful to have found LBCA now. The LBCA resources I use the most are the Facebook page and website. I share some of the research and articles from it on my own page to spread awareness of LC and the need for research. I read things on the website to educate myself and learn more. The video stories shared also give me people to relate to to know I’m not alone, and that a lot of what I’ve dealt with others have and we can all have hope together.
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