Ananda Lewis' Breast Cancer Journey
- Former MTV host Ananda Lewis’ breast cancer has progressed to stage four [metastatic] cancer after previously deciding not to remove the tumor in her breast and undergoing both alternative and traditional treatment therapies.
- Lewis was diagnosed in January 2019 after performing a self-breast check, followed by a biopsy. Before receiving her diagnosis, she had never had a mammogram. She has since become an advocate for prevention and encourages women to schedule mammograms immediately.
- Dr. Kenneth D. Miller, medical oncologist at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, tells SurvivorNet, “Metastatic breast cancer is a treatable disease. Fortunately, we have so many new treatments for women with recurrent breast cancer and for many women who look at this as a chronic disease that they can live with ‘often for many years.’ Still, this type of breast cancer is incurable and needs dramatically more research and much better options for women.”
- While treatment for metastatic breast cancer is not curative, it can improve your quality of life. You and your doctor will work together to develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.
- For help finding a clinical trial that’s right for you, try our easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder.
- Experts warn that women should absolutely, under no circumstance, ever substitute approved treatments backed by data and, or FDA registered clinical trials, for alternative, unproven treatments, and that doing so is extremely dangerous.
The 51-year-old loving mom, who admits to having never had a mammogram prior to her diagnosis, shared her health update in a recent sit-down interview with her close friends CNN News Central morning co-anchor Sara Sidner, 52, and CNN correspondent Stephanie Elam, 50.
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“I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. Looking back on that, I go, ‘You know what? Maybe I should have [taken a different treatment path].'”
RELATED: How To Reduce the Risk Of A Breast Cancer Recurrence
She continued, “But I didn’t have good options … they wanted to take both [breasts], they wanted to do all these big things that I wasn’t ready for. So I did detoxing, I completely changed my diet, I started working on my emotional landscape.
“You know, when you’re trying to turn a huge ship in the ocean, you have to slow that sucker down. You’re not flipping that 180 like you’re in a Porsche. So, I have a slow-it-down period. Then Covid hit and none of the stuff I was doing anymore was accessable anymore. Even the ultrasounds I was having monthly … all that stopped.”
Lewis then took part targeted chemotherapy and alternative treatments—but as SurvivorNet’s experts often warn, alternative medicine is never a replacement for traditional medicine that’s backed by science.
Experts warn that women should absolutely, under no circumstance, ever substitute approved treatments backed by data and, or FDA registered clinical trials, for alternative, unproven treatments, and that doing so is extremely dangerous.
Although Lewis claims she saw an improvement in her health after taking part in alternative treatments, changing her diet and sleeping habits, along with doctor-approved medication, chemo, and radiation, the disease metastasized [spread] further and she learned she had stage four breast cancer in October 2023.
Lewis said the scan she had last fall revealed her cancer had spread to pretty much “everywhere but my brain.”
She explained further, “My lymph system really flared up. And so, all through my abdomen, all those lymphs were very flared up, my collar bone. It was bad. It was the worst I’ve ever been. I wasn’t in pain until I got the bone scan. … I’ve never had that much pain in my life.
“I was just like, ‘Fudge, man, I really thought I had this.’ I was frustrated, I was a little angry at myself, and I said, ‘Man, listen. I know you’re [death] coming for me at some point. But I don’t want it to be now. And if you could just wait, I promise when you do come, I’m gonna make it fun for you.’ I literally had that conversation lying in my bed. I couldn’t get out of bed for, like, eight weeks.”
She also recounted fracturing her hip during that time she was on bed rest, but she was later able to “jump back into treatment” and get her bone scan.
Lewis admitted that maintaining her “quality of life was very important” in her cancer treatment.
“There’s certain things I know I’m not gonna be OK with, and I know myself,” she added. “I want to want to be here, and so, I had to do it a certain way, for me.”
Ananda Lewis’ Breast Cancer Fight
Ananda Lewis learned she had breast cancer back in January 2019 after conducting a self-exam and having a biopsy to confirm her diagnosis.
She’d never had a mammogram prior to her diagnosis. However, she watched her mother have many mammograms throughout her life, and initially believed her mom’s breast cancer was caused by the constant radiation from the screening.
Now battling breast cancer herself, she’s become an advocate for prevention and encourages women to start scheduling their mammograms immediately.
Back on Oct. 1, 2020, Lewis, who was 47 years old at the time, said in a video message shared on Instagram, “For a really long time, I have refused mammograms, and that was a mistake.
“I watched my mom get mammograms for almost 30 years, and at the end of that, she had breast cancer, and I said, ‘Huh? Radiation exposure for years equals breast cancer. Yeah, I’m going to pass. Thanks anyway.'”
She continued, “If I had done the mammograms from the time they were recommended, when I turned 40, they would have caught the tumor in my breast years before I caught it through my own breast exam, self exam, and thermography.
“And they would have caught it at a place where it was more manageable, where the treatment of it would have been a little easier. It’s never easier, but I use that word in comparison to what I’m going through now. Instead, what I’m dealing with is stage 3 breast cancer that is in my lymphs. I need you to get your mammograms.”
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Although she’s now battling stage four breast cancer, Lewis appeared to be in good spirits during her recent CNN interview and feeling better despite her disease having spread. She’s now managing it with both traditional treatment methods and alternative therapies.
Understanding Stage 4 (Metastatic) Breast Cancer
Stage 4, or metastatic breast cancer, means that the cancer has spread to distant areas of the body. Even though there is currently no cure for metastatic breast cancer, doctors have many options to treat this stage advanced stage of breast cancer.
Hormone therapy, chemotherapy and targeted drugs are all options to talk to her doctor about, depending on your individual needs. Sometimes surgery and/or radiation is considered as part of the treatment, but mainly it is important to focus on improving your quality of life.
Expert Metastatic Breast Cancer Resources
- Understanding Gene Mutations in Your Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis Is Crucial to Your Treatment
- Advances in Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatments Over the Last Year Offer New Hope for Those Fighting
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: You Are Not a Statistic
- Have You Been Diagnosed With Late-Stage Breast Cancer? Know That You Have Treatment Options.
- PARP Inhibitors Provide New Promise for Certain Metastatic Breast Cancers
- FDA Approves Diagnostic Test to Identify Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Expressing Low Levels of HER2
- Chemo Plus Immunotherapy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
The treatment plan for metastatic breast cancer patients depends on the specific needs of the woman, whether they need an aggressive chemotherapy or depending on the doctor’s assessment, they may benefit from another medication.
For hormone receptive positive cancer breast cancer patients, doctors try to see how long they can keep patients on oral therapies. Very often, newly diagnosed metastatic hormone receptive-positive breast cancers (where cells have either estrogen (ER) or progesterone (PR) receptors or both) respond best with different hormonal medications, and sometimes for many many years.
Dr. Erica Mayer, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says clinical trials have shown that hormone medicines are more effective when paired with targeted therapies. At some point, chemotherapy will be introduced. And according to Dr. Mayer, it’s delivered at a dose and schedule that’s as well-tolerated as possible.
“We are so lucky in breast cancer that we have so many effective and well-tolerated treatments,” Dr. Mayer tells SurvivorNet. I’m so gratified to see that patients are doing better and living longer today with metastatic breast cancer than they have ever done before.”
Bottom line, there are more and more options becoming available for patients to manage symptoms of advanced stage disease, and it’s best to talk about specific treatment plans and what is best for you with your own doctor.
Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer
With metastatic breast cancer, the primary goal of treatment is to control its spread. SurvivorNet offers information about what those options are from targeted therapies to chemotherapy and when these various treatment options can be used. We also provide information on new, exciting research that is currently being tested in clinical trials and information about when recently approved drugs, like immunotherapies, can be used.
For help finding a clinical trial that may be right for you or a loved one, try our easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder.
While there have been many developments in recent years when it comes to treating late-stage breast cancer, which therapies can be used will depend on the characteristics of the patient’s cancer.
What are the Treatment Options for Late-Stage Breast Cancer?
Late-stage breast cancer is not one disease, but many different diseases so the options available to different patients vary a great deal. Which treatment doctors recommend will depend on several factors like a woman’s overall health, genetics, the biology of the tumor, and more.
Treatment for late-stage breast cancer can include a combination of:
- Chemotherapy: Oral or IV medications that are toxic to tumor cells
- Hormonal therapies: Drugs that lower estrogen levels or block estrogen receptors from allowing the cancer cells to grow
Targeted therapies: Drugs that target your tumor’s specific gene mutations - Immunotherapy: Medications that stimulate your immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells
- Radiation: The use of high-energy rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors
- Surgery: To remove a cancerous tumor or lymph nodes (uncommon with stage IV; more common in stages I, II, and III)
- Clinical trials: Studies of new medications, treatments, and other therapies offer hope for better outcomes
Treating Her2-positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Can Metastatic Breast Cancer be Prevented?
While there’s no sure way to prevent metastatic breast cancer, researchers are working diligently to find ways you can prevent the first (or primary) breast cancer from returning or metastasizing.
Dr. Kenneth D. Miller, medical oncologist at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, recommended, in an earlier interview with SurvivorNet, making lifestyle adjustments to reduce risk factors and improve cancer survivorship, including:
- Eat a low-fat diet: Women who eat a low-fat diet tend to have lower levels of estrogen in their blood, which could help reduce risk.
- Choose a colorful diet: Women who eat a varied diet of fruits and vegetables may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer.
- Exercise for two or more hours weekly: Studies suggest that physical activity can lower breast cancer recurrence.
- Maintain a healthy body weight: Women who are overweight after treatment for breast cancer may be at higher risk of recurrence
- Limit alcohol intake: Heavy alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of recurrence.
Maintaining Quality of Life With Metastatic Breast Cancer
“Metastatic breast cancer is a treatable disease,” explains Dr. Miller. “Fortunately, we have so many new treatments for women with recurrent breast cancer and for many women who look at this as a chronic disease that they can live with “often for many years.”
While treatment for metastatic breast cancer is not curative, it can improve your quality of life. You and your doctor will work together to develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.
“Quality of life typically involves many things including treating symptoms effectively and modifying lifestyle to allow time for treatment and to accommodate to living with a chronic disease. A positive attitude doesn’t cure cancer but also contributes to living well with cancer. Faith, spirituality, intimate relationships, friends, and families help as well.”
In some cases, you may need more aggressive therapies that can be lifesaving. Finding the right combination of treatments for your breast cancer and your body may take some time. Be patient and work with your doctor to arrive at the right treatment plan.
Remember, when you are fighting metastatic breast cancer, it can be hard to remember the good in life. No matter what treatments you are undergoing, it’s important to maintain a support system around you and an optimistic outlook.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and unable to go on, seek help. And talk to your physician. Your physician can recommend support groups or other professionals that can help make your journey easier.
Meanwhile, studies of new treatment options are called clinical trials, and they are an essential part of medicine for two reasons: Clinical trials help doctors better understand cancer and discover more effective treatment methods—and they also allow patients to try a treatment before it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can be life-changing.
WATCH: Clinical Trials Help Find New Treatment Options
Dr. Beth Karlan is a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Health. She says the goal with clinical trials is to advance cancer research to a point where the disease becomes akin to diabetes, where it becomes a manageable condition.
“Clinical trials hopefully can benefit you, but is also providing very, very vital information to the whole scientific community about the effectiveness of these treatments,” Dr. Karlan said. “They can be lifesaving. In the last few years, we’ve seen many children and adults who have participated in trials and had miraculous results.”
Understanding What’s Valid Health Information Online
Knowing that Lewis did take part in alternative therapies to help combat her breast cancer, it’s important to note that patients who rely on unproven methods outside of the conventional medical realm often end up with fatal consequences; a study released by researchers at Yale University in 2017 revealed that patients with cancer who only use alternative treatments are twice as likely to die from the disease.
How can you know whether the information you read online, especially medical information, is reliable? There are a few ways:
The National Institutes of Health recommends that, as a rule, the sites you get medical information from should be sponsored by federal government agencies. Knowing who or what sponsors and hosts the website you’re reading from is important, too.
- .gov are government agencies
- .edu identifies an educational institution
- .org usually identifies nonprofit organizations
- .com identifies commercial website
Dr. Jason Westin, leader of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma research team at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview: “Make sure if you’re finding information on the internet about something that sounds too good to be true, talk to your doctor about it.”
Alternative Therapies: Don’t Believe Everything You Read on the Internet
“Alternative therapies” refer to treatments that people may choose in place of conventional, scientifically backed medicine. These alternative methods can range from mind-body approaches and diet and nutrition choices to supplements, healing crystals, Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. They’re touted all over the internet, and they often sound too good to be true. And that’e because they probably are, Dr. Westin says.
It’s for a beneficial reason that these therapies aren’t used at comprehensive cancer centers: they haven’t proven themselves effective in clinical trials – rigorous studies that test treatments in the population of people they’re intended to treat. Clinical trials test new treatments for safety and efficacy; every drug or treatment approved for widespread use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has to have gone through multiple phases of clinical trials.
It’s also important to note that the validity of scientific data is determined by whether results can be repeated by other researchers, the sample size of the study and the academic credentials of the researchers and journal where the information is published.
Sometimes, the therapies or supplements you read about on the internet can be OK, and maybe even beneficial, if they’re used with conventional medicine, not in its place. These options make up “complementary medicine,” which, when used in tandem with conventional medicine, is called “integrative medicine.”
The Difference Between Integrative Medicine and Alternative Medicine
Many doctors believe in integrative medicine, so long as they remain in the loop and give their patients the go-ahead before combining anything new with their treatment. But the majority of doctors tend to be in agreement about the fact that these options should never replace conventional treatment.
Even if you aren’t planning on foregoing the treatment that your doctor prescribes as you try out something you read online, it’s absolutely vital that you talk to your doctor first. They are the only ones who will be able to tell you whether that “cancer-curing” supplement is going to interact negatively with your actual treatment. It may, for instance, cause the treatment to be less effective. Or it may wind up being harmful, or cause debilitating side effects.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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