Changing the narrative of a cancer journey

Battling cancer once is extremely scary and difficult, and Carrie’s first battle was no exception. Unfortunately, it was further complicated with a doctor who, in her words, was “unkind and uncommunicative”. Luckily, she beat cancer then, but 20 years later, she found out she needed to battle it again. This was unimaginable.

In late 2021, just days after finding a lump, Carrie was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. She immediately recalled her prior experience and felt extreme distress at the thought of going through it again. After receiving the biopsy results, Carrie’s husband reached out to PHM.

That very night, PHM walked her through the initial plan, including who would be on her team and how they would work with her doctors. From this first encounter, PHM changed the narrative of her cancer journey. She knew immediately that she had a team that cared immensely, and as the journey continued, PHM showed her the best of what is possible in healthcare.

The presenting situation
Triple negative breast cancer is an aggressive type of breast cancer that accounts for 10-20% of cases. Because it is not driven by hormones or a gene called HER2, the common targeted therapies used for most breast cancers do not work. For this reason, Carrie needed a doctor who specializes in triple negative breast cancer, and within days, appointments were set up for her with one of the best in the world.

PHM worked with her providers to execute her care plan. The PhD researchers on her PHM Care team worked hand-in-hand with her doctors, helping to evaluate the efficacy of newer chemotherapy and immunotherapy combinations and implementing the latest monitoring techniques to track the disease. During the first phase of treatment, it became clear chemotherapy wasn’t working as well as hoped, so PHM coordinated with her medical team to immediately change course, and she had surgery to remove the growing tumor with no lag time. This was followed with different chemotherapy, as well as a PHM-initiated test to determine the cancer cell’s sensitivity to various therapies as backup options.

Following her surgery and chemotherapy, PHM scheduled an MRI to evaluate for any recurrence. Unfortunately, it showed something small in her liver, but it was unclear if it was cancer. The PHM team immediately jumped into action, and in collaboration with her oncologist, obtained a biopsy and full body PET scan, as well as advanced, personalized blood tests. These results indicated that it was unlikely to be cancer, and whatever it was, it had since shrunk. Still, PHM is staying on top of it. Regular MRIs and blood tests will ensure that if something were to recur, it would be caught quickly. And if that were to happen, a plan is already in place with her care team. Today, the monitoring tests remain negative, giving Carrie much needed piece of mind.

Treating the whole person
At PHM, healing is multi-faceted and holistic. The aim is to treat the whole person. Following surgery, PHM arranged for a physical therapist to help Carrie’s body recover and heal. A consult with a nutritionist was also set up, who shared information regarding which vitamins and which diets would be additive (or subtractive) to her core treatment, as well as what might help with side effects.

Carrie’s prior cancer journey and the overwhelming experience of facing cancer again caused her to suffer some post-traumatic stress and a lot of ongoing anxiety. PHM matched her with a therapist who helped her navigate the emotional aspects of this journey. Her PHM care team was also there to boost her spirits whenever they could, whether that be with video messages, or simple “hello” texts. And because she knew that PHM was taking care of everything, she was able to both continue working during this time and focus on her healing, which she credits as being instrumental for her mental and emotional state.

Our ongoing journey together
During treatment, Carrie communicated with her team constantly, including weekly calls and daily texts with her clinical care team. PHM continues to have calls with her monthly and Carrie knows PHM is here for her every step of the way.