Coping With an Unexpected Diagnosis
- “Real Housewives of Miami” star Guerdy Abraira, 45, reveals she has early-stage breast cancer. She's urging women to get regular health checks after her “scary” diagnosis.
- SurvivorNet expert Dr. Elizabeth Comen explained, "Early-stage breast cancer means that there's a small tumor in the breast, that there are no lymph nodes affected."
- A mammogram is the primary test doctors use to screen for breast cancer, with the wide consensus that women should have annual mammograms between 45 and 54.
- Anxiety and fear are completely normal emotions to feel if you learn that you have breast cancer. Acknowledging these emotions can be therapeutic and important to the healing process.
After “Real Housewives of Miami” star Guerdy Abraira, 45, revealed that she had received a “scary” breast cancer diagnosis, she is urging others not to skip their routine checkups, telling fans, “Your life depends on it.”
"I have breast cancer," Abraira said in an Instagram post. “It took me a while to process it all and that is why I took a break from social media.”
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Abraira is known for being "outspoken and energetic" on the popular reality TV show, according to Bravo TV. She's had a successful career as an event planner, and her family life includes her husband Russell and their two sons.
Abraira learned of her breast cancer while vacationing in St. Barts in the Caribbean. Her doctor phoned her to tell her mammogram revealed she had breast cancer.
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She is currently preparing for surgery and upcoming treatment.
"This process is definitely intense and what I ask of you is empowerment, not pity. I will 'guerdyfy' this cancer as I guerdyfy everything else in my life," Abraira said as she prepares to face the disease head-on.
The reality TV star hopes other women use her experience as a reminder to keep up with their health.
"I am lucky that this breast cancer was discovered at an early age it is still scary of course," she said.
"For those who do not get health checks regularly, I urge you to. Your life depends on it," Abraira continued.
What Is Early-Stage Breast Cancer?
"Early-stage breast cancer means that there's a small tumor in the breast, that there are no lymph nodes affected," Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explained to SurvivorNet.
"For stage 1 breast cancer, the first step is to remove the cancer. If a woman needs a lumpectomy, most often she will have radiation after that," Dr. Comen added.
Breast cancer is not one disease, but many different diseases, so determining the stage and type is important to help choose the best course of treatment.
The stages range from stage zero to stage 4 (which is a metastatic disease). The latter stages indicate that the cancer has spread further.
During stage 3, the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, and stage 4 means it has spread to distant parts of the body.
"Even women with early-stage breast cancer, ideally, need some form of therapy after the removal of the cancer to prevent recurrence," Dr. Comen said.
WATCH: Understanding a New Breast Cancer Diagnosis.
Coping With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Anxiety and fear are completely normal emotions to feel if you learn that you have breast cancer. Acknowledging these emotions can be therapeutic and important to the healing process.
After you've learned you have breast cancer, how do you confront your fears without letting them take over entirely? SurvivorNet has some tips to help you cope.
1. Let your family and close friends know and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever help they can offer.
2. Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your different thoughts throughout the day.
3. Join a cancer support group. There are support groups in nearly every community offering opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You'll learn incredibly helpful insight from others who can tell you about what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
4. Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.
Above all, just know that there are countless resources and support here for you whenever you need it.
What to Know About Breast Cancer Screening
A mammogram is the primary test doctors use to screen for breast cancer.
The wide wide consensus is that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54.
And while leading organizations like the American Cancer Society say women should have the option to begin annual screenings between 40 and 45, there is some disagreement among doctors as to whether this is beneficial.
For example, after saying for years that women shouldn't begin mammograms until 50, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently changed their guidelines to say that women of average risk should begin at 40.
Dr. Connie Lehman, a diagnostic radiologist who specializes in breast cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, says when you begin mammograms is a decision you should discuss with your doctor, as they can help you understand your specific circumstances and weigh the benefits and potential risks of earlier screening.
Your mammogram results may lead your doctor to recommend further testing with a diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If these tests suggest changes that might be cancer, you'll need a biopsy a test in which your doctor removes a small sample of tissue and has it checked for cancer in a lab.
Only a biopsy can confirm or rule out whether you have breast cancer.
Although it can be frightening to go through breast cancer testing, SurvivorNet's doctors say not to fret. It's possible for a biopsy to find that a lump is benign or not cancerous.
If you do receive a breast cancer diagnosis, you'll learn what type of breast cancer you have and the stage of the disease. The stage means how far in your body the cancer has spread.
Though most breast cancers are not linked to inherited genetic mutations, knowing whether you have a mutation could affect the type of treatment you get. SurvivorNet experts recommend all women who are diagnosed with breast cancer be given genetic testing.
Based on your test results, preferences, and personal circumstances (such as your age), you and your doctor will make decisions about how to proceed with treatment, which we have plenty of expert resources on.
Expert Resources on Breast Cancer Treatment
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