Finding Strength in Support After a Diagnosis
- Former 2021 Miss Universe Puerto Rico Jaylene Alvarez, 33, revealed she is battling breast cancer, sharing that she’s approaching the diagnosis with faith and strength while receiving an outpouring of support from across Puerto Rico.
- Though details of her cancer type and treatment remain private, Alvarez says the experience has shifted her perspective, inspiring her to live with deeper intention, love, and purpose.
- A breast cancer diagnosis can spawn a flurry of emotions and impact your mental health. Research published in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences found that “35 to 40 percent of cancer patients have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder,” and patients battling late-stage cancer tend to face even more significant mental health challenges.
- To help manage your mental health while coping with a diagnosis, some helpful tips include leaning on your support group, journaling, and/or seeking a mental health professional.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that women have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, if you have a higher risk for breast cancer due to a family history or a genetic mutation, you should consider screening at age 40.
- Enhanced mammography exists and includes: 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging, which are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.
- 3D mammography “allows us to find more cancers and reduce false positives by viewing thin slices of breast tissue — like slicing a loaf of bread — to spot what’s hidden in the layers,” Dr. Connie Lehman, the chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital, explains.
“I am facing my diagnosis with strength, faith, and responsibility. I’m fine, and I’m healing in God’s name,” she wrote on Instagram.
Read MoreView this post on InstagramAlvarez, who placed second runner-up in the 2021 Miss Universe Puerto Rico pageant, has built a strong following through her pageant career and advocacy work. Support poured in immediately after her announcement.
“Thank You, Puerto Rico, for your prayers and well wishes. I never imagined feeling so much love,” she said.
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While she has not yet shared details about her specific breast cancer type or treatment plan, Alvarez says the diagnosis has already reshaped her perspective.
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“This experience has awakened me,” Alvarez said.
Today I live with more intention, with more love, and with more purpose. I want to serve more, love better, and be a better citizen of the world we share,” she wrote, urging others not to wait for a crisis to embrace life fully. “Let’s say what we feel, hug more, and serve without expecting anything in return.”
Helping Patients Cope with a Cancer Diagnosis
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.
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.
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?
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