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I didn¡¯t have any breast cancer symptoms until early 2019. Then, a lump the size of a lime popped up on my right breast, seemingly overnight. I hadn¡¯t been able to feel it before that because it was growing so deep below the surface.

I went to my OB/GYN the day after I discovered it. She immediately referred me to a breast surgeon, who ordered an ultrasound. A few days later, I had a biopsy, and the following week, I received my diagnosis: triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, a type of breast cancer.

Coming to MD Anderson for breast cancer treatment

I grew up in the Houston area, so once I was sure I had breast cancer, I was pretty determined to go to MD Anderson for my treatment. I knew it offered the best cancer care in the world, so to me, there wasn¡¯t really another choice.

I had my first appointment a few weeks later. And after all my scans were done, I met with my entire team at once: oncologist , surgeon and radiation oncologist .

First, they confirmed my diagnosis. Then, they laid out my treatment options, which included a Phase II clinical trial under . It involved a new drug, a type of targeted therapy that includes a PARP inhibitor.

The best part of MD Anderson: having a choice

My doctors recommended the clinical trial, but they also made it clear that the decision was mine. I really liked that they gave me a choice.

The first place I went was like, ¡°This is your diagnosis and this is your treatment plan. You start next week.¡± But at MD Anderson, my doctors said, ¡°OK. We can do this or this or this for you, but you get to choose.¡±

When you have cancer, it can feel like you have no control of your life anymore. So, this gave me a little bit of that control back. And I really appreciated it.

The best part of individualized treatment: feeling like I really mattered

I also appreciated how personalized my treatment was. Before coming to MD Anderson, I didn¡¯t realize there were so many different types of cancer. I also didn¡¯t know there were so many treatment options available.

I have a friend who received the exact same diagnosis as I did. She has the same type of cancer and joined the same clinical trial. But we still have different treatment plans. I think that¡¯s pretty amazing.

I ended up joining the clinical trial, too. And I¡¯m cancer-free today as a result. But it was comforting to know that I had other options, and could have chosen a different treatment option if I¡¯d wanted to.

The way MD Anderson personalizes treatment made me feel like my case was special and that I really mattered. In the end, that¡¯s all you can ask from anyone.

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