Casey's Initiative
- Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis is launching an online initiative to provide resources that will connect cancer patients.
- Casey first spoke publicly about her breast cancer diagnosis and shared some details about her timeline in December. The stage and type of her breast cancer remains unknown to the public.
- She announced she was breast-cancer-free in March and that she was ready to hop back on the campaign trail with her husband. And she's kept busy ever since.
- It is extremely important for women to undergo recommended breast cancer screening such as mammograms so their cancer, if discovered, can be treated as early as possible.
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She told a crowd gathered at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., that she did not experience any symptoms initially, but a vague sense of uneasiness drove her to schedule a visit with her OB-GYN.
Her doctor did not see any cause for concern, but Casey still felt like something was off. A month later, she called again to request a mammogram. That's when her concerns were confirmed with a breast cancer diagnosis.
RELATED: Florida's First Lady Casey DeSantis, 41, is Officially Cancer-Free!
Casey DeSantis began chemotherapy treatment shortly after, and the governor and first lady announced in January that Casey had finished her breast cancer treatment. In total, her treatment included six rounds of chemotherapy, a surgery (unspecified as to what type) and six weeks of radiation.
"After going through both treatment and surgery for breast cancer, she is now considered cancer-free," the governor said in March. "For all the women out there who are going through breast cancer right now: you can overcome this.
"I know it's very difficult, but my wife is proof positive. If you wound back six or seven months, this is exactly the type of news that we had hoped for… She still has more to do, but I'm confident she's going to make a full recovery."
Understanding Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is such a common cancer that many women have been touched by it in some way. Either they've been diagnosed themselves, or they know someone who has been diagnosed.
One advantage to being such a common cancer is that breast cancer has been the focus of much research. What scientists have learned in the lab have translated into new and breakthrough treatments that are dramatically improving the outlook for people with this cancer.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer? These don't mean you'll definitely get this canceronly that you're slightly more likely to be diagnosed. Being aware of your risk factors can help you stay on top of screenings.
Risk factors can include age, having certain gene mutations such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, having been exposed to estrogen longer (early periods or late menopause), waiting longer to have children, exposure to radiation or having a family history of breast cancer.
The Unique Features of Breast Cancer: Deciding the Right Course of Treatment
Once a patient has been diagnosed with breast cancer, the spread and size of the cancer are the first things that must be diagnosed prior to coming up with a course of treatment. Doctors will look at genetics, oncotype, and proteins, along with the patient’s age and frailty – as well as how the patient’s cancer can be classified.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.