At age 26, LaShae Rolle was in her second year of graduate school at the University of Miami, working on a PhD in cancer research, when she noticed something unsettling: a lump in her breast. “I did what I hope anyone would do when they feel something is wrong,” she says. “I went and got checked out.”
Given her age, and the fact that she had no family history of breast cancer, doctors assured Rolle that the lump was most likely just a cyst. So it came as a shock when she received the results of her biopsy: Rolle had breast cancer.
While it’s understandable that women in their 20’s with no family history of the disease would never consider it as a possibility, Lillian Smyth, MD, senior vice president and global development head of breast cancer at Eli Lilly and Company, says it’s crucial to listen to your body regardless. “Understand what’s normal for you, and if you have any new issues like lumps or new pain, I urge you not to dismiss them,” she says. “The rise in breast cancer diagnoses among young women is why we lowered the recommended age for breast cancer screening in the US to 40.”
After Rolle’s diagnosis, she underwent chemotherapy and had a unilateral mastectomy. When dealing with discomfort during treatment or negative side effects, she always made sure to communicate with her care team: “There were a lot of things that came up during and after cancer treatment,” she says. “As soon as I explained them to my doctor, she would tailor my therapy in order to help me have a better experience.”
Dr. Smyth seconds the importance of being honest with your care team, but understands that sometimes it’s overwhelming to express all of your concerns at once. “Make note of your symptoms, your side effects, your questions, your worries, your concerns, and bring them with you to your clinic visit,” she advises. “Clinicians genuinely want patients to feel empowered to talk to them openly, because addressing side effects can improve outcomes and keep patients on therapies longer.”
Two years after her diagnosis, Rolle now sees herself as an advocate to help other patients feel seen, supported, and empowered. She wants other young women battling breast cancer to know that even when things seem darkest, you can always find something to keep you going. “Throughout all my treatment, I was still doing my PhD,” she says. “I didn’t let it stop me. So it might’ve been hard, but you know what? I beat cancer.”
