Understanding Stage 2 Breast Cancer
- American professional golfer Kim Kaufman, 33, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer months after noticing a dimple started to appear on one of her breasts.
- Kaufman, who has since undergone a lumpectomy and is set to begin radiation treatment, is urging others to get annual check ups after her doctor appointment led to her cancer diagnosis.
- Stage 2 breast cancers are either larger than stage 1 tumors or have moved to a few nearby lymph nodes. Treatment will likely be some combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
- Before starting radiation treatment, and possibly chemotherapy, Kaufman underwent a lumpectomy, which is a surgical procedure aimed at removing a cancerous tumor and a small portion of the surrounding healthy tissue from the breast.
- Often termed as breast-conserving surgery or partial mastectomy, a lumpectomy is a less invasive alternative to a full mastectomy, which involves the removal of the entire breast. Lumpectomies are generally recommended for women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer or those with benign breast conditions that require surgical intervention.
Kaufman, who is married to pro golfer Johan Wolkesson, is crediting her cancer discovery to her annual exam with her doctor, as that appointment led her to get a mammogram, followed by an ultrasound.
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Kaufman, who is set to undergo six and a half weeks of radiation, and possibly chemotherapy prior [something she’s waiting to hear, was first told during a September 2023 annual health checkup that she had “dense fatty tissue” on her left side, which she tells Golfweek “didn’t mean anything to me.”
However, she later noticed a new dimple on her breast during the late spring/early summer, and by late September, during her annual exam, her doctor advised her she needed to get a mammogram.
When she was called back for an ultrasound, Kaufman recounted to Golfweek, “He [Her radiologist] came in and showed me, ‘Here’s the mass we’re looking at.’ I don’t know all the words he said, but I remember laying there thinking Oh, I have breast cancer. He knows that.'”
RELATED: Access to Good Information is Crucial After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
The next day she had a biopsy done, which revealed she had cancer, and another test she was told to take informed her about a genetic mutation she had.
Kaufman’s doctors said her tumor was 3.5 centimeters with no cancer at the perimeter of the mass, when they removed it, but they did learn that she had grade 2 cancer in one of her lymph nodes.
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“You think you’re going to get here’s what you have, and here’s what we know and here’s what we’re going to do, but in reality … it’s an evolving diagnosis,” Kaufman said. “You’re going to get a new test and maybe take a step forward or a step back.”
If all goes to plan after treatment, Kaufman, who had to withdraw from the last round of December’s LPGA Qualifying School, will undergo a double mastectomy next in October 2025.
In an effort raise awareness for breast cancer, Kaufman captioned a Instagram post, “As most of you who follow me know, @lpga_tour Q-Series is set to start this week. Finishing 16th on the @epsontour points list this year, I was set to play this week at final stage in hopes of regaining my LPGA status.
“However, I must share that the week after the Tour Championship concluded I was diagnosed with stage 2b breast cancer.”
SurvivorNet’s experts explain that stage two breast cancers are either larger than stage one tumors, or have moved to a few nearby lymph nodes. Treatment is likely a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
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She then explained how she underwent a lumpectomy in November and is set to start radiation therapy and possibly chemotherapy.
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Lumpectomies
Kaufman concluded, “Q school was just not possible this year. While I am a little bummed after having my best season in several years, those that have faced a similar diagnosis will understand that golf seems so insignificant right now.
‘I have had so many wonderful friends and family help me thus far and I really want to thank each and every one of them. My @shadyoakscountryclub family especially has really gone above and beyond. Thank you all so much. Best of luck to everyone playing this week, I hope to be out there with you again soon.”
Understanding Stage 2 Breast Cancer & Treatment
Stage 2 breast cancers are either larger than stage 1 tumors or have moved to a few nearby lymph nodes. Treatment will likely be some combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. If chemotherapy is also needed after surgery, the radiation is delayed until the chemo is done. The same approach is taken to hormone receptor and HER2 positive as stage 1.
In Kaufman’s case, her treatment will include six and a half weeks of radiation, and possibly chemotherapy before radiation, something she’s waiting to hear. She will then undergo a double mastectomy, which is the surgical removed of both breasts.
Breast Cancer: Introduction to Prevention & Screening
For anyone battling breast cancer, it’s important to understand that your doctor has many ways to treat breast cancer, including:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Hormone therapy
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
‘It’s important to understand why your doctor is recommending a particular type of treatment,’ says Dr. Jessica Tao
Surgery
Most women with breast cancer will have surgery at some point in their treatment. Depending on how far your cancer has spread and your personal preferences, you and your doctor may decide to:
- Remove just the cancer and an area of healthy tissue around it (lumpectomy)
- Remove one breast (mastectomy)
- Remove both breasts (double mastectomy)
A lumpectomy, which Kaufman underwent, is a surgery to remove a cancer or abnormal tissue from the breast. It’s also known as breast-conserving surgery because, unlike mastectomy, only the tumor and some of the surrounding tissue is removed.
The surgery typically takes about an hour and is an outpatient procedure meaning a patient will be able to go home the same day.
“It’s abnormal to have a lot of pain after a lumpectomy,” says Dr. Sarah Cate, Chief of Breast Surgery, Stamford Hospital. Additionally, for early stage breast cancer, studies have shown that lumpectomy plus radiation is as effective a treatment in preventing a recurrence of breast cancer as mastectomy.
Removing your breasts can have a dramatic effect on your self-esteem, which is why some women who opt for a mastectomy then choose breast reconstruction surgery. This is a highly personal choice, and there is no “right” answer as to whether or not to reconstruct.
WATCH: What to consider before a mastectomy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses strong drugs to kill cancer all over the body. You may get this treatment to shrink a tumor before surgery, afterward to get rid of any remaining cancer cells, or on its own if you can’t have surgery.
Whether or not to have chemotherapy can also be a choice, depending on a woman’s age, type of cancer, and stage.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells and is typically used after surgery to lower the chance that the cancer will come back after treatment. Many women undergo radiation as part of their treatment, especially if they opt for a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy.
Hormone Therapy
The hormones estrogen and progesterone help some breast cancers grow. Doctors refer to these types of cancers as hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Receptors are proteins on the surface of breast cells that receive messages from estrogen, progesterone, or both, telling them to grow. Treatments that block these hormones may help stop the tumor.
Testing the tumor sample from a biopsy helps to determine whether hormone therapies such as tamoxifen (Nolvadex) or anastrozole (Arimidex) might work against the cancer. Women with breast cancer that is fueled by estrogen may take one of these drugs as part of their treatment.
Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy
Immunotherapy and targeted therapies are newer forms of treatment. Immunotherapy boosts your body’s own immune response to help it stop the cancer.
As their name suggests, targeted therapies target certain substances that help the cancer grow. For example, drugs like trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta) treat breast cancers that have too much of a protein called HER2 on their surface.
Finding a Balance Between Screening and Treating
When to Screen for Breast Cancer
The medical community has a broad consensus that women have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
For women aged 55 and older, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
WATCH: Understanding the BRCA gene mutation.
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
RELATED: Is Genetic Testing Right for You?
Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.
What To Ask Your Doctor
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may have questions about how to keep your strength through treatment. Here are a few questions to help you begin the conversation with your doctor:
- What treatment will I be receiving?
- What side effects are associated with this treatment?
- Are there steps I can take in my daily life to help minimize these side effects?
- What physical activity routine do you recommend for me during treatment?
- Do you have recommendations for someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy exercise?
- Can you recommend a dietician who can help me with healthy eating tips and maintaining a healthy weight?
- I’ve been having trouble sleeping, do you have any treatment recommendations?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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