Greater Nashua
No lump, no symptoms and a mammogram that changed everything
NASHUA - At 42 years old, Melissa had no lump, no symptoms and no family history of breast cancer. She went for her first routine mammogram after her husband noticed a subtle change in the appearance of her nipple. Still, she had no reason to believe anything was seriously wrong. That mammogram changed everything. It revealed microcalcifications in her right breast. What was initially believed to be stage 0 breast cancer ultimately proved to be much more extensive. After a lumpectomy and additional scans and biopsies, doctors discovered four separate areas of cancer in her right breast. Her final diagnosis: stage 3 breast cancer. Her treatment journey included 16 rounds of chemotherapy followed by 33 rounds of radiation. She also underwent physical therapy, continues to take Tamoxifen and receives an infusion of Zometa every six months. The physical and emotional toll was ...
