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Age: 40-49
Caroline Herzfeld
breast cancer
stage one

I have been really, really lucky that my breast cancer experience has lasted only three weeks, and no reoccurrence is expected. Three days ago, I had a 2-mm-size tumor (the width of the lead in an unsharpened pencil) removed from my right breast. No radiation, no chemo. I am a walking-talking advertisement for the importance of regular mammograms and early detection. But it was only a fluke that it turned out this way. Last year, a doctor told me she had a hunch I had cancer; my other doctors said they thought she was crazy. But the mammogram was the only thing I had neglected in an otherwise-thorough physical. Immediately, I went, and it showed suspicious tissue in both breasts. The surgeon estimated 15 percent chance of malignancy, but even my gynecologist said he was surprised when a biopsy three weeks ago turned up the tumor. According to Dr. Susan Love, it takes nine years for the average breast cancer lump to develop. So regular mammograms and the extra money good radiologists may charge are worth it. My first cousin wasn't so lucky-she just had a large lump and lots of lymph nodes removed with a stage-two discovery. The doctor who guessed somehow that I had cancer may have been crazy, but she was also right! I owe my life to her, and thank God for her "whacko" hunch. Otherwise, it might have been years before I got around to having that mammogram done!

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