Becoming a survivor: breast cancer knows no boundaries

Every year in October, people nationwide honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The annual campaign educates people on the prevalence of breast cancer, the importance of scheduling mammograms, early detection and the lasting impact of a diagnosis. This October, Sue Roma, an Endicott native, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and breast cancer survivor is now living life cancer-free. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers for women in the United States and accounts for approximately 30% of all new cancers for females each year. 

Sue is a long-time UHS patient who gets her mammograms done at the UHS Breast Center. She was approaching two years without a mammogram, so she decided to make an appointment in May 2023. 

When Sue had her mammogram, there was an area of concern in her left breast. Michael Farrell, MD, a UHS breast surgeon, and his team brought Sue back in for an ultrasound scan. The scan led Sue to have a biopsy, but she didn’t think anything would be detected since she had one before because she had dense breasts, which meant less fatty tissue and more lumps appearing periodically. “I’ve had a biopsy on my right side two years prior, and it ended up being nothing, so I thought it would be the same thing, but when I got the call from Dr. Farrell, I just knew something wasn’t right,” said Mrs. Roma. Sue was diagnosed with stage 2a breast cancer, a type of invasive breast cancer where the cancer is contained in the breast or has spread to nearby lymph nodes.

After Sue received the diagnosis, she had a follow-up meeting with Dr. Farell and UHS oncology nurse navigator Julia Mack, BSN, RN, CBCN. Her husband and daughter were also there to show their support. Dr. Farrell was transparent about the next steps in her journey and explained everything to Sue and her family. Sue looked for words that would comfort her, but she got the opposite feeling when she asked a specific question. “I remember asking Dr. Farrell if I would lose my hair. He looked back at me and told me yes. That triggered me. I was sobbing after I heard him say yes, and I couldn’t hear anything he said after that, which is why I had my husband and daughter there to help interpret”

Although the meeting with Dr. Farrell and Julia wasn’t as positive as Sue wanted, she was grateful for their kindness during a hard time. Mrs. Roma said, “Dr. Farrell is so comforting and factual. He is honest with you in a comforting way, even if it’s not what you want to hear. I have so much respect for him. Julia comforted me when I thought I was selfish about crying over losing my hair. She gave a great explanation about not wanting to lose my identity during this difficult time.” 

In July 2023, Sue had a port, a small, disc-shaped device, surgically placed under the skin on her chest to receive chemotherapy treatments. Sue was nervous about the procedure, but was quickly put to ease when Francis Mangiacapra, MD, a vascular & interventional radiologist, talked her through the process. “When I was wheeled out after surgery, Dr. Mangiacapra told me to go fight this and come back here as fast as you can so we can remove your port. You’re going to beat this.” 

Halfway through her chemotherapy treatments, she had another ultrasound where the images didn’t detect a mass anymore. Even though a mass wasn’t detected, Sue continued her chemo treatments until October 2023. To ensure all cancer cells were gone, Dr. Farrell performed a lumpectomy, a surgical removal of a discrete portion or lump of breast tissue, in November 2023. During her lumpectomy, Dr. Farrell also performed a lymph node dissection, a surgical procedure to remove one or more lymph nodes from the underarm area, to make sure the cancer didn’t spread beyond her mass. After the procedures, Sue received a call from Dr. Farrell telling her the cancer didn’t spread. This gave Sue a sense of relief because she was beating her breast cancer. 

After her surgeries, Sue started to receive Phesgo shots, a drug that blocks the receptors and stops cancer cells from dividing and growing. In addition to these shots, Sue underwent radiation treatment in January 2024. Sue is now in remission and goes to her six-month checkups, as well as her yearly mammograms.

Sue believes having annual mammograms is essential. “I learned not to miss my mammogram. Maybe if I had gone a year ago, it would have been a stage 1a or stage zero. There was no excuse to miss it.” According to recent guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), women should begin annual mammograms starting at 40 years old instead of the previously recommended age of 50. However, high-risk women younger than 40 may need to be scanned sooner, depending on their provider’s recommendation. Even women who have no symptoms and no known risks for breast cancer should have regularly scheduled mammograms to help detect potential breast cancer at the earliest possible time. 

Sue is grateful for her family and friends' support and the UHS Breast Center team making her feel comfortable and safe. “I have so much respect for Dr. Farrell and his team. I felt so safe with him and trusted his recommendations. He picked such great people to take care of me.” 

To schedule a mammogram or learn more about breast care resources within the UHS, click here.