A Mom, 33, of Three Thought Her Lump Was a Clogged Duct Due to Breastfeeding, But Turns Out to Be Stage 2 Breast Cancer

However, that reassurance faded fast as the lump refused to disappear, lingering long enough to signal that something was wrong.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s WIC Breastfeeding Support program, clogged or plugged ducts are a common issue for nursing mothers, often presenting as a tender lump or knot in the breast when milk fails to drain properly. Pressure builds behind the blockage, irritating surrounding tissue, and typically affects only one breast at a time.

For Hansen, the lump she discovered while breastfeeding didn’t feel like a typical clogged duct. Trusting her instincts, she sought medical care—and tests revealed a shocking diagnosis: stage 2 breast cancer.

“I was terrified,” Hansen recalled.

“I love working at a cancer center because I get to see people fight and come through this. But at 33 years old, I didn’t know anyone my age who had breast cancer.”

Hansen’s experience reflects a troubling trend. Early-onset breast cancer—diagnoses in women under 50—has been rising.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report released in August 2025 found that in 2022 alone, 27,136 new cases were reported among women younger than 45. While most breast cancers occur in older women, the incidence among younger women increased by an average of 0.7% per year between 2001 and 2022.

Hansen underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy and surgery. As a health communications expert, her diagnosis reshaped how she approaches her work.

“Every time I’m writing a story or talking points, I ask myself: if this were me, if this were a patient, what would I want to hear? What would I need to know? I remind myself that I’m part of this community—my voice and my story matter.”

Understanding Early-Stage Breast Cancer and What Comes Next

Early-stage breast cancer means the tumor is small and hasn’t spread to nearby lymph nodes. According to Dr. Comen, the first step is usually surgery to remove the cancer. This may involve a lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue are removed, often followed by radiation therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.

However, treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all. Factors like age, tumor size, family history, and personal preference may influence whether radiation is needed or if a patient chooses a more aggressive approach, such as a mastectomy—removal of the entire breast. After surgery, a pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope to help determine the next steps in treatment.

WATCH: Understanding Early Stage Breast Cancer

Diagnostic testing plays a critical role in shaping your care plan. If a mammogram or clinical breast exam reveals something abnormal, your care team may recommend:

• Diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound to get a closer look at the breast and nearby lymph nodes
• MRI scans for additional imaging detail
• Biopsy of suspicious areas, including lymph nodes, to confirm cancer
• Tumor marker testing to identify hormone receptors and proteins that influence treatment options
• Additional imaging to check for any signs of metastatic disease

Once all this information is gathered, your cancer is staged—based on tumor size, lymph node involvement, and whether it has spread. Staging helps guide treatment decisions, while hormone receptor and protein marker tests reveal how the cancer behaves and which therapies may be most effective.

Your healthcare team will consider all of these factors—alongside your personal health, values, and goals—to create a treatment plan tailored to you

Managing Chemotherapy and Its Side Effects

Chemotherapy is an effective tool for oncologists to help treat cancer by stopping cancerous cells from growing, dividing, and spreading to other organs. Chemo works by traveling through the bloodstream, killing cancerous cells. However, healthy cells are also impacted in the process, leading to side effects.

Patients almost universally experience fatigue, often alongside gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea. Doctors have many effective medications to combat chemo-induced nausea. “But mitigating that fatigue often depends on the patient,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.

“Neuropathy is probably one of the most challenging side effects,” says Dr. Urban. Neuropathy results from damage to the peripheral nerves. It usually resolves after chemotherapy treatment, but sometimes symptoms can persist. While it’s typically characterized by numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation in the hands and feet, neuropathy can have several different symptoms, including:

• Weakness in the hands or feet
• Stabbing or burning pain in the hands or feet
• Difficulty gripping, such as when holding a fork
• Difficulty with fine motor skills, such as writing or buttoning a shirt

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy. When chemotherapy affects the rapidly dividing cells in the lining of the stomach, the resulting cellular havoc in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to side effects such as nausea and vomiting. However, doctors can help patients mitigate the hit with various medications before, during, and after treatment.

“Part of the chemotherapy prescription includes a set regimen of anti-nausea medications,” says Dr. Urban. “We also ensure that patients have medications at home that they can use should they develop nausea after treatment.”

Hair loss is another side effect of chemotherapy.

WATCH: Coping with hair loss.

“For cancer patients, losing one’s hair can be unbelievably stressful. To start with, the dread of losing one’s hair can lead to some sleepless nights and feelings of anxiety,” Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, told SurvivorNet.

Chemotherapy can cause hair loss. It usually begins about three to four weeks after chemotherapy and continues throughout treatment.

It happens because this treatment targets quickly dividing cells throughout the body. That includes cancer cells but also hair cells.

Most patients can expect regrowth four to six weeks after treatment. However, it is possible that when your hair grows back, you may notice some changes in its color and texture.

RELATED: How are chemotherapy side effects managed for ovarian cancer treatment?

Tips for Navigating Chemo Side Effects

When dealing with fatigue, doctors don’t have an arsenal of weapons to combat fatigue in terms of prescription medications. However, you can do several things to help minimize the hit and restore your energy.

• Exercise: While it may be counterintuitive, physical activity can help alleviate side effects, especially fatigue. “Although ovarian cancer is not common, we often draw upon the experience of patients with breast cancer and colon cancer, who have shown that physical activity can not only improve quality of life but may also have beneficial impacts on cancer outcomes,” Dr. Urban says.
• Eat well: Even though nausea may interfere with your ability to eat a healthy diet, it’s essential to ensure you’re eating appropriately, getting enough protein, and not losing weight. Not only will nourishing your body support your recovery, but it may also help you feel more energized.
• Sleep: Want to mitigate fatigue? Be sure to maintain your regular sleep-wake cycle while on treatment. Sticking to a set sleep schedule helps reduce fatigue by ensuring enough hours for your body to heal and restore itself each night. It may also help you recover more quickly by keeping energy levels high during the daytime.

Treating Neuropathy Symptoms

Doctors have several strategies for helping patients deal with this side effect. Once a patient begins experiencing the symptoms of neuropathy, they’ll be carefully monitored to make sure it doesn’t get worse. Before each chemotherapy infusion, the attending oncologist will assess whether the symptoms have progressed. If the symptoms worsen, they may adjust the dose or delay treatment. They may also try switching to another chemotherapy drug.

How to Get a Handle on Nausea

Most of these anti-nausea medications last for more than eight hours. One of the infusions commonly used reduces the degree of nausea for up to three days.

Complementary approaches may also be helpful. A few favorites:

• Ginger: Studies consistently show that ginger helps alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea. The powerful herb appears to have an anti-spasmodic effect on the gut. Not a fan of raw ginger? Suck on ginger candy, sip ginger ale, or make a steaming cup of ginger tea.
• Pressure bracelets: at your local pharmacy, these bracelets provide consistent pressure on a particular acupressure point on the wrist to reduce nausea.
• Deep breathing: Moving air in and out of your lungs with a few deep breaths can help relieve nausea, particularly if you pair deep breathing exercises with meditation. It can also help you relax and release stress and anxiety.

WATCH: Managing chemo side effects.

Coping with Hair Loss

If losing your hair is a concern for you before cancer treatment, know you have options like wigs, hats, wraps, and scarves, among other things.

Another option that can minimize hair loss is cryotherapy, “just a fancy way for saying cold therapy,” says Dr. Renata Urban, gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Cryotherapy involves wearing cold caps or special cooling caps before, during, and after each chemotherapy treatment.

When to Screen for Breast Cancer

The medical community has a broad consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should now start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.

The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.

WATCH: Mammograms are still the best tool for detecting breast cancer.

Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before the age of 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.

Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.

Regular Self-Exams Are Helpful In Between Mammograms

A self-breast exam is an easy way to monitor your breasts for abnormalities. It involves feeling the breast for swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple.

WATCH: How to perform a self-exam.

Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found that is concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.

How AI Is Enhancing Mammograms When Screening For Breast Cancer

The artificial intelligence program that has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), called Clairity Breast, may change the way doctors assess breast cancer risk from screening mammograms.

While not a replacement for traditional mammography, this AI-powered tool can enhance current screening practices and improve early detection efforts, according to Dr. Mary Newell, a breast imaging specialist at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

“This new approach can enhance the current standard of care,” Dr. Newell tells SurvivorNet.

Clairity Breast analyzes subtle patterns in screening mammograms linked to future breast cancer risk, generating a validated five-year risk score. This score is seamlessly integrated into clinical systems, enabling more personalized follow-up care.

“We can identify patients who are at elevated risk and offer supplemental screening to them with breast MRI or other technologies as a way to increase the likelihood of early detection. It does not replace mammography, and in fact, relies on mammographic images to allow the risk assessment,” she adds.

How to do a self-breast exam.

Currently, women at average risk are advised to begin yearly mammograms at age 40. While Clairity Breast does not change these guidelines, Dr. Newell noted that it could help identify patients who may need earlier screening or additional imaging methods.

“It may allow us to identify patients who should start screening at an earlier age if they are shown to be at elevated risk,” she said. “It can also allow us to identify patients who may benefit from supplemental screening technologies, in addition to their yearly mammogram, after the age of 40.”

Unlike AI programs designed to detect cancer directly from images, Clairity Breast functions as a risk assessment tool. It does not interpret mammograms for cancer detection but instead works alongside traditional methods to pinpoint patients who may be at higher risk.

“Other AI tools are being developed that provide assistance with interpretation, helping to detect a cancer that may already be present,” Dr. Newell explained. “But most of the literature to date suggests that AI tools work best when deployed in conjunction with interpretation by a breast radiologist.”

Clairity Breast represents a promising step in breast cancer prevention, offering a new layer of analysis that helps doctors identify high-risk patients early and refine screening approaches — all while keeping mammography at the core of detection.

How is 3D mammography different?

“Now, advancements in AI and computer vision can uncover hidden clues in mammograms — invisible to the human eye — to help predict future risk,” said Dr. Lehman, founder of Clairity and breast imaging specialist at Mass General Brigham, in a press release.

Dr. Amani Jambhekar, a board-certified surgeon specializing in breast cancer and melanoma at CHRISTUS Health, says this new technology can make mammograms even more valuable.

“It may be a more individualized way of calculating breast cancer risk, which we need, as existing risk calculators do not identify everyone who is high risk. As a surgical oncologist, I am excited to learn more about this platform when it launches,” Dr. Jambhekar tells SurvivorNet.

RELATED: When Should I Get a Mammogram?

False Positives & the Dreaded ‘Callback’

If you went in for your mammogram and received a call from the doctor’s office to say more images, including MRI or ultrasound, may be required if the initial pictures aren’t clear, while worrisome, this scenario could mean a number of things. For instance, dense breasts, which we discuss elsewhere in this section, can make it hard to distinguish between fatty tissue and a tumor.

Here is how the numbers on screenings break down, according to Dr. Lehman: Of the approximately 10 percent of women who get called back, the vast majority will be absolutely fine after more imaging. Only 20 percent of those will need a biopsy, and in the end, just five percent of that group will be found to have cancer.

Here are some tips to help ensure you get the most accurate test possible:

• Go to a large and experienced center that has a good record and reputation.
• Don’t wear deodorant on the day of your mammography. It can contribute to inaccuracies.
• Keep in mind that certain factors, like dense breasts, tattoos, and breast implants, may also result in errors.

Learning More About Genetic Testing

Genetic testing for cancer is typically conducted in a medical setting, such as a primary care office or an OB-GYN clinic. However, some tests are now available for direct purchase, allowing individuals to explore their genetic risk independently.

Initially, genetic testing was recommended for a limited group of individuals based on specific risk factors, including a strong family history of breast cancer, personal cancer history, or certain ethnic backgrounds.

WATCH: Helping you understand genetic testing.

“It started out with a very narrow field of women and men who were recommended to have it based on certain risk factors, family history of breast cancer, or other cancers, and also ethnic backgrounds,” explains Dr. Elisa Port, breast surgeon who specializes in the care and treatment of patients with breast cancer and those at increased risk for breast cancer.

Guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) suggest that genetic testing should be prioritized for patients at higher risk for hereditary breast cancer. This includes individuals diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 45, those with a strong familial history of the disease, and individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.

Meanwhile, the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) takes a broader approach, recommending genetic testing for all patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

These evolving recommendations reflect a growing emphasis on personalized medicine, ensuring that individuals at risk receive appropriate screening and guidance to manage their health proactively.

What If You Have the BRCA Gene Mutation?

Discovering a genetic mutation can be unsettling, but there are several options available to manage cancer risk effectively. These include enhanced screenings for early detection, prophylactic (risk-reducing) surgery to remove high-risk tissue, and chemoprevention—the use of medications designed to lower the chances of developing cancer.

Interestingly, for individuals diagnosed with ovarian cancer, carrying a BRCA mutation may provide a treatment advantage when paired with a class of drugs known as PARP inhibitors. Approved by the FDA starting in 2014, these targeted therapies have transformed the landscape of ovarian cancer treatment.

WATCH: Understanding the BRCA Gene Mutation

PARP inhibitors function by blocking the protein PARP, which normally repairs damaged DNA. By preventing this repair process, the inhibitors selectively destroy cancerous cells while sparing healthy ones, making them a powerful treatment tool.

“The PARP inhibitor prevents the repair of the [damaged] single-strand DNA break, and your BRCA mutation prevents the repair of the double-strand DNA break,” explains Dr. Rebecca Arend, Associate Scientist at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, in an interview with SurvivorNet.

This combination of genetic insight and advanced medical therapies highlights how precision medicine continues to evolve, offering more effective, tailored approaches to cancer prevention and treatment.

Help Coping With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.

“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.

WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions.

If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.

SurvivorNet experts suggest that women who need a little extra help coping with a breast cancer diagnosis.

• Let your family and close friends know, and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support, but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
• Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your thoughts throughout the day.
• Join a cancer support group. Groups in nearly every community offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
• Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

If you have a breast cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet suggests the following questions to kickstart your conversation with your doctor.

• Do I have dense breasts?
• Do I need to undergo additional or more sensitive screening?
• How is my risk level being assessed?
• Will insurance cover additional screening if needed?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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