Not only is today’s blog about a young person living with MBC, but it is a double blog written about the same woman from opposite perspectives. It begins with a blog by Laura, whose friend Jess was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 32. Then Jess writes her own blog on living with MBC.
I’m certain these two blogs will resonate with all our readers as they reflect back on their initial MBC diagnosis and what it was like when everything was new and it was a struggle to get a handle on the situation. At the start it is a very steep learning curve, but all too soon we become experts.
“Just write about mets,” I’m told by “upstate” Ann Marie, a fellow blogger and breast cancer advocate. “We need more posts about mets.”
One in three breast cancer patients metastasize. But these form only part of the metastatic community. There is another group of people who also metastasize: people who have no history of breast cancer and suddenly learn they are metastatic. These patients comprise to 6% of the breast cancer community. This can happen when a mammogram does not detect a tumor. It can happen when mammograms are initially denied a person, giving the cancer time to advance. And it can happen when a patient’s breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body where they form tumors, without having ever developed a breast tumor. Today we welcome Susanne Kraus, who is one of the six percent.
During October we’ll be hearing from a variety of patients and a few family members, friends and caregivers about their journey with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). But to kick off the October series, we’re printing an article written by the other person in the thick of it … the oncologist.
Today we welcome Don S. Dizon, an oncologist, who has written on a topic we can all relate to -- choices. Originally appearing on September 11, 2014 as a commentary in the ASCO Connection, the following article is reprinted here with the permission of both the ASCO Connection and the author.
October is fast approaching, and this year METAvivor will focus the personal stories of MBC patients and caregivers. We want to hear from you!
