How Building Support Strengthens Your Cancer Journey
MTV “The Challenge” and “Road Rules” star Ayanna Mackins, 45, is battling metastatic breast cancer. After her diagnosis, the mother of four underwent further tests, including genetic testing, to learn she’s a carrier of the BRCA gene mutation, which increases her risk for breast and ovarian cancer. She’s undergoing chemotherapy and preparing for breast cancer surgery.
Genetic tests can be as simple as a simple saliva swab or blood sample. The results help your care team determine if you have a specific mutation that puts you at higher risk for cancer. The results help doctors tailor your treatment and are helpful for breast cancer patients.
While Mackins turned to genetic testing to help forward her treatment journey, other forms of testing are also essential for breast cancer patients. Testing the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) after a breast cancer diagnosis or recurrence is essential. It helps determine the subtype of your tumor, which can help guide treatment. This is commonly referred to as “marker,” “tumor marker,” or “biomarker” testing by physicians.
Patients are encouraged to seek out a support group, talk to a mental health professional, and keep their support team connected with their care team.
In recent years, treatment options for metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer have improved the outlook for patients by slowing tumor growth and improving their quality of life. Treatment options include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drugs. Sometimes, surgery and/or radiation are considered.
MTV reality star Ayanna Mackins, 45, says she’s taking newfound obstacles one step at a time. She was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer last October, and ever since, she has juggled treatment and parenting. Following her diagnosis, she underwent genetic testing to learn she was a carrier of the BRCA gene mutation, putting her at increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Throughout her emotional journey, she’s reached a point where she admits she could use added support.
“I’ve been struggling with how to talk about this on social media, but the silence is what kills us,” Mackins said in an Instagram post.
Mackins gained fame through her roles on reality TV shows “Road Rules” in the ’90s and “The Challenge: All Stars” more recently.
“I’m one of the one-in-eight women that is diagnosed with breast cancer, and I’m working through it,” Mackins continued.
Mackin’s close friend and host of “The Challenge,” Rachel Robinson, created a GoFundMe page to help her resilient friend.
“Ayanna is a single mother of four and a loved member of the MTV’ Road Roads’ and ‘The Challenge’ family. She is a survivor of many things, and we all know she will be strong and get through this next battle,” Robinson said.
Mackins was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer after undergoing a mammogram and biopsy in October 2023. She underwent genetic testing to learn she is a carrier of the BRCA gene mutation, which increases her chance of breast and ovarian cancer.
Genetic testing brings immense benefits to patients and their families. The tests can be as simple as a simple saliva swab or blood sample. The results help your care team determine if you have a specific mutation that puts you at higher risk for cancer. The results help doctors tailor your treatment and are helpful for breast cancer patients.
WATCH: The BRCA Gene Mutation
If a patient is found to carry mutations in their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, they face a substantially increased risk of developing breast cancer, as is the case for Mackins. In such cases, they can choose to have their breasts removed before developing breast cancer or undergo frequent cancer screening to manage their risk vigilantly.
“By the time I learned of my status, it had metastasized to several lymph nodes. Being a mom of four, my life immediately shifted toward managing and fighting this disease. Testing, multiple biopsies, and consultations all coincided with managing the lives of my children and adapting to chemo, sleepless nights, weakened immune system, and truly fighting the fight with my closest co-workers, extended family, and friends,” Mackins said.
Photo: Instagram/AyannaSuperhero
Mackins says the GoFundMe will offer financial support to continue caring for her family while undergoing treatment.
Mackins says she’s talking with her doctor about looming breast cancer surgery.
“I’m listening to the recommendations and reviewing all the material and information while simultaneously going through chemo and planning for surgery,” Mackins said.
While preparing for further treatment, Mackins and her care team are likely weighing multiple considerations, such as how far the cancer has spread, her overall health, and whether her tumor is positive for receptors or hormone receptors. These details influence the types of treatment that are likely to be effective.
If you were recently diagnosed with cancer, you likely know about the wide range of emotions that news can bring. This is one of the most difficult phases of the cancer journey to overcome.
However, it’s during these early stages that a team of supporters can be most useful. Your supporters can be made up of close family members and friends. Your support group can also be filled with people from outside your inner circle.
“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friends circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” New York-based psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchiktold SurvivorNet.
“But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional,” she added.
One of the benefits of having supporters includes helping alleviate stress and anxiety following your diagnosis. Supporters can also help advocate for you during treatment.
Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer
Mackins’ cancer has reached stage 4, meaning the disease has spread beyond the breast and to other parts of the body. Advancements in treatment now give metastatic breast cancer patients many more options to treat and/or live with the disease.
WATCH: Understanding Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatments
For women with HER2-positive breast cancer, meaning they have high levels of a protein called HER2 on the surface of their cancer cells, targeted treatments are available. The drugs trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta) have transformed the outlook for some women with late-stage breast cancers. These therapies, which are often combined with chemo, are very effective at controlling breast cancer once it has spread.
Women with triple-negative breast cancer – one of the most aggressive forms of the disease – can be treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Triple-negative is traditionally one of the most challenging forms of the disease to treat because it lacks any of the main drivers of breast cancer, the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the HER2 receptor, and it doesn’t respond to treatments that target these receptors.
For postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancers, a newer class of drugs called CDK4/6 inhibitors are available. These drugs have been shown to improve survival in some women with metastatic cancer.
Estrogen receptor-positive means that this type of cancer needs the hormone estrogen to grow. These CD4/CD6 drugs decrease the amount of estrogen that can be taken into a cancer cell, slowing the rate at which that cancer cell can expand.
Which Mutations Are Important to Look for in Breast Cancer?
Dr. Julie R. Gralow, the Chief Medical officer and the Executive Vice President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, tells SurvivorNet that “Germline genetic testing for inherited predisposition for breast (and ovarian) cancer can include just BRCA1/2 testing or a more comprehensive gene panel that might include 15-25 genes.”
The infamous BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene changes are still the most important ones to look for in breast cancer. Together, they are responsible for about half of all hereditary breast cancers. These genes prevent cells from dividing haphazardly and uncontrollably in a person without mutations. Mutations prevent these genes from doing their job and can allow unchecked growth of breast, ovarian, and other tissues. This voracious growth paves the path for cancer development.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations increase the risk of developing breast cancer by up to 85% during their lifetime. To break it down, only 13% of all women will develop breast cancer during their lifetimes. If they carry the mutations, their risk increases to 45%-72%, depending upon their exact mutation.
The presence of such mutations can have a significant impact on the treatment options for women carrying them. “Presence of a BRCA1/2 gene mutation (or others associated with high risk) may impact surgical decision-making in a patient who is newly diagnosed with breast cancer,” says Dr. Gralow. “It should not really impact treatment of the current cancer (eligibility for lumpectomy versus mastectomy), but the presence of such a mutation carries a very high risk of developing a second breast cancer, so bilateral mastectomy is a reasonable consideration to reduce the risk of second cancer.”
Recent research has also identified other mutations, which may also increase the risk of breast cancer development. These include changes in the PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, KRAS, CDH1, TP53, PTEN, and numerous other genes. Modern genetic testing panels can look for mutations in more than 80 genes simultaneously.
What To Ask Your Doctor
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may have questions about keeping your strength through treatment. Here are a few questions to help you begin the conversation with your doctor:
What treatment will I be receiving?
What side effects are associated with this treatment?
Are there steps I can take daily to help minimize these side effects?
What physical activity routine do you recommend for me during treatment?
Do you have recommendations for someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy exercise?
Can you recommend a dietician who can help me with healthy eating tips and weight maintenance?
I’ve been having trouble sleeping. Do you have any treatment recommendations?
