100-Year-Old Illinois Woman Beats Cancer: Found Lump Putting Nightgown. Should Screening Guidelines Change For Older Women?

Horwich’s diagnosis was grade 1 invasive ductal carcinoma and low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ [also known as stage zero breast cancer or DCIS, which are abnormal cells that line the duct in a breast].

It’s important to note there is an ongoing debate on whether mammograms should be used among older women. The medical community has a consensus that women between ages 40 and 54 have annual mammograms, but for women 75 years and older, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says there is not enough evidence to determine the positives and negatives of mammographies for women 75 years and older.

The USPSTF also notes that there is insufficient evidence to understand “the balance of benefits and harms of supplemental screening for breast cancer using breast ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in women identified to have dense breasts on an otherwise negative screening mammogram.”

According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine two years ago, the risk of having a women over diagnosed with a routine screening mammography is higher for women ages 70 and older. More studies are needed for women over the age of 70 and mammogram screenings.

Speaking to Endeavor Health in a recent interview, Horwich said, “For me at my age, my breast cancer diagnosis was something that I could deal with.”

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Horwich continued, “I opted to have surgery because I felt it was a prudent decision for my health. I know this is not the same for a 30-year-old woman and that breast cancer can alter the rest of her life with complications or recurrences and related uncertainty.

“But at almost 101, a heart attack or a stroke would have been more devastating and could possibly leave me incapacitated.”

Her doctor Catherine Pesce, M.D., a surgical oncologist with Endeavor Health Medical Group, also spoke with Endeavor Health about her cancer journey, saying, “We went through different options for treatment based on her age — to do nothing, begin an oral medication or have surgery.

“Surprisingly, Layne wanted to have the surgery, but I agreed because I knew she would tolerate it. She is truly an amazing person and is doing great after surgery. At her six-month follow-up appointment, everyone in the office was absolutely wowed by her.”

The type of surgery Horwich underwent was a lumpectomy [a surgical procedure aimed at removing a cancerous tumor and a small portion of the surrounding healthy tissue from the breast]. She did not need to undergo chemotherapy or radiation afterwards.

Dr. Pesce, who noted how Horwich has stopped going to her routine doctor appointments and hadn’t had a mammogram in approximately five years, added, “A woman is never too old to investigate an abnormality or concern and discuss treatment options with medical professionals.”

As for how Horwich has been aging so gracefully, she explained, “I do everything I can to keep going, like reading and playing cards.

“I played tennis regularly until I was 92. I try to do all the right things to stay active and healthy. In this case, I was fortunate to find Dr. Pesce. I encourage other women to stop living with something that bothers them or could be a medical concern. Seek expert care.”

RELATED: “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” Star Dick Van Dyke Says His Healthy Habit of Going To The Gym & Positive Mindset Are Keys To Longevity— The Importance of Exercise

Horwich, who recently credited her youthful appearance to using an advanced nightly repair cream by Estee Lauder in a video shared on TikTok, also spoke with NBC 5 Chicago about her cancer battle and how she overcame surgery at her age.

“I have a picture of me coming out after the surgery, and it’s really funny because it doesn’t look like anything happened,” the resilient centenarian said.

@esteelauder

Two icons: #AdvancedNightRepair and our beloved customer Layne❤️. Listen to her wisdom and maybe we’ll all look this good at 100😉. #AdvancedNightRepair #Skincare #SkincareSecret

♬ original sound – Estée Lauder

 

Helpful Information About Breast Cancer Screening

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

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

RELATED: ‘Annual’ Screenings For Breast Cancer Survivors May Not Be Necessary, New Study Suggests

Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have 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 age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.

WATCH: Understanding the BRCA gene mutation

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 for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.

Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging 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.

RELATED: 3D Mammography Detects 34% More Breast Cancers Than Traditional Mammography

Family History & Breast Cancer Risk

Although breast cancer can happen to anyone, certain factors can increase a person’s risk of getting the disease. The known risk factors for breast cancer include:

• Older age
• Having a gene mutation such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2
• Added exposure to estrogen
• Having children after the age of 30
• Exposure to radiation early in life
• Family history of the disease

RELATED: Is Genetic Testing Right for You?

Different types of genetic testing can help people with a family history of cancer better ascertain their cancer risks. Your doctor will discuss your family history of cancer with you in the context of your type of tumor and your age at diagnosis. Hereditary genetic testing is usually done with a blood or saliva test.

WATCH: Understanding genetic testing for breast cancer.

About ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary, says Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.

“We encourage only those with a family history to get [genetic testing],” Dr. Ginsburg previously told SurvivorNet. “I would say that if you have anyone in your family diagnosed with a rare cancer. Or if you have a strong family history of one or two kinds of cancer, particularly breast and ovarian, but also colon, rectal, uterine, and ovarian cancer, that goes together in another cancer syndrome called the Lynch Syndrome.

The second test involves the genetic sequencing of your tumor if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer by this point. These genetic changes can be inherited, but most arise during a person’s lifetime. This process usually involves examining a biopsy or surgical specimen of your tumor. This testing can lead to decisions on drugs that might work against your cancer.

“Digital mammography, it turns out, significantly improves the quality of the mammogram… It’s 3D or tomosynthesis mammography,” Dr. Lehman explains.

“This allows us to find more cancers and significantly reduce our false-positive rate. With digital mammography 3D tomosynthesis, we’re taking thin slices through that breast tissue, like slices of a loaf of bread. We can look at each slice independently rather than trying to see through the entire thickness of the entire loaf of bread. So those thin slices help us find things that were hidden in all the multiple layers,” Dr. Lehman adds.

Additional testing can be considered for dense breasts, depending on a woman’s personal history, preferences, and her physician’s guidance.

Screening Options for Women with Dense Breasts

Women with dense breasts should get additional screening to supplement their mammograms. Dense breasts mean more fibro glandular tissue and less fatty breast tissue exists.

The dense tissue has a “masking effect on how well we can perceive cancer and find cancer on mammograms,” Dr. Cindy Ly, a radiology doctor at NYU Langone Medical Center, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

Survivors Encourage Women to Ask Their Doctors About Dense Breasts

Glandular tissue within dense breasts appears white on mammograms, which can help mask potential cancer. The “frosted glass” effect from the glandular tissue can thus mask cancerous areas, especially developing ones. Undetected, these cancers can progress, growing large and advanced. They will then likely require more intensive treatments to cure or can become incurable altogether.

Women with dense breasts may not know they have it based on feeling alone. It’s important to know that breast density is determined by its appearance on a mammogram. Dr. Connie Lehman, the chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital, previously explained to SurvivorNet that fatty breast tissue appears gray on an X-ray. Conversely, dense breast structures appear white during an X-ray. Cancers also appear white on an X-ray, meaning the dense breast structures can mask the possibility of cancer. Luckily, advanced mammograms exist to help doctors navigate this obstacle.

WATCH: 3D Mammograms explained.

“Digital mammography, it turns out, significantly improves the quality of the mammogram…It’s 3D or tomosynthesis mammography,” Dr. Lehman explains.

“This allows us to find more cancers and to significantly reduce our false-positive rate. With digital mammography 3D tomosynthesis, we’re taking thin slices through that breast tissue, like slices of a loaf of bread. We can look at each slice independently rather than trying to see through the entire thickness of the entire loaf of bread. So those thin slices help us find things that were hidden in all the multiple layers,” Dr. Lehman adds.

Additional testing can be considered for dense breasts, depending on a woman’s personal history, preferences, and her physician’s guidance. These tests include:

• 3-D Mammogram (Breast Tomosynthesis): This technology acquires breast imaging from multiple angles and digitally combines them into a 3D representation of the breast tissue. This allows physicians to see breast tissue architecture better, even in dense breasts. 3D mammograms are fast becoming the standard way of performing mammography.
• Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): An MRI machine uses magnets to create highly detailed, intricate images of the breast. These are mostly reserved for women with an extremely high breast cancer risk. Dense breasts alone may not be a valid reason to obtain a breast MRI. However, dense breasts in women with genetic mutations, like BRCA1 and BRCA2, or a strong family history of breast cancer could justify obtaining breast MRIs.
• Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI): MBI is a newer imaging technique that uses a radioactive tracer to detect breast cancer. It is beneficial for women with dense breasts. However, MBI is not as widely available as other screening methods.

A new rule from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that facilities offering mammograms must notify patients about their breast tissue density and recommend they speak with a doctor to determine if further screening is necessary. There will be “uniform guidance” on what language to use and what details must be shared with the patient to make the communication clear and understandable.

Breast Cancer Symptoms & Self-Exams

Women are encouraged to do regular self-exams to become familiar with how their breasts feel normally so something like a lump forming can be easily detected. A self-exam includes pressing your fingertips along your breast in a circular motion.

If you feel something abnormal, such as a lump or discharge from the nipple, you should contact your doctor for further examination.

Below are common symptoms to look out for:

• New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
• Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
• Swelling on all or part of the breast
• Skin dimpling or peeling
• Breast or nipple pain
• Nipple turning inward
• Redness or scaliness of breast or nipple skin
• Nipple discharge (not associated with breastfeeding)

Learn Your Risk and Listen to the Guidelines: An Important Message About Breast Cancer Awareness

Understanding Aging & Additional Tips

It’s understandable that aging can feel like a mystery at times, and it’s great to see Layne Horwich moving through life with awareness of her health and hope. After all, we’ve all heard phrases like “Age is just a number,” but what does that mean? And how does it impact our health and well-being?

From the day we are born, our bodies and minds start to change and grow. This continuous process is, fundamentally, what we call ‘aging.’ Life is a journey filled with countless changes, and aging is an integral part of that journey. Quite often, when we talk about aging, we focus on the physical changes, but it’s also about the evolution of our mental and emotional states.

SurvivorNet has provided an overview of aging to guide you through this universal process.

Some key points to remember about aging:

• Aging is a natural biological process that affects everyone.
• The experience of aging can vary greatly among individuals.
• While aging comes with some inevitable changes, many aspects of aging are influenced by lifestyle choices and attitudes.

RELATED: Body Image In Your 80s: How Workout Queen Jane Fonda Finds Peace With Vanity & Cancer

• With the right information, support, and proactive strategies, aging can be a rich and fulfilling stage of life.
• Aging isn’t something to fear or shy away from—it’s a phase of life that we all share.

Healthy aging isn’t just about accomplishing medical check-ups or managing illnesses. It’s also about maintaining a high quality of life as you age, keeping your body and mind as robust as possible, and living life to the fullest. SurvivorNet has put together some tips that can help you age healthily:

Physical Activity: Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise into your daily routine. This could be walking, cycling, swimming—any physical activity you enjoy!

Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet heavy on fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. Limiting processed foods, sugars and unhealthy fats can make a big difference in your overall health.

Social Engagement: Stay socially active. Whether it’s attending family gatherings, participating in group hobbies, volunteering, or just catching up with friends, maintaining social connections can significantly enhance your emotional health and well-being.

Mental Stimulation: Engage in activities that stimulate your mind. This could include reading, doing puzzles, learning a new skill or language, or even playing memory-boosting games.

Regular Check-ups: Don’t forget about your regular medical, dental, and eye check-ups. Prevention is always better than cure!

Sleep: Good sleep is vital for your overall health. Practice good sleep hygiene – keep a regular sleep schedule, make your sleeping environment comfortable and quiet, and try to avoid screens before bed.

Remember, consistency is the key. Building these habits and making them part of your daily routine can potentially slow down the aging process and improve your overall well-being.

Even small steps can have a significant impact, so it’s never too late to start. After all, aging is just another word for living. And our aim should not be to just live longer, but to live healthier and happier.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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