Making Decisions About Whether to Keep Working During Treatment
- OpenAI executive Kate Rouch is stepping down as Chief Marketing Officer to focus on her breast cancer treatment after months of balancing care with her leadership role. So far, specific details surrounding her type of breast cancer and related treatment remain private.
- SurvivorNet experts say testing breast cancer tumors for key receptors like estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and HER2 receptor is essential for guiding treatment, with Dr. Elizabeth Comen noting that “these receptors go hand in hand because they’re related to hormones.”
- HER2‑positive cancers respond well to targeted antibody therapies that block the receptor’s growth signals. Drugs like Herceptin and Perjeta are designed to prevent cancer cells from using HER2 to multiply.
- Some cancer patients can continue to work during cancer treatment, while others may need to take some time away. Doctors recommend returning to work if possible, as it helps cancer patients regain a sense of normalcy.
- If treatment side effects or scheduling demands make it hard to meet work expectations, stepping back or reducing your hours may be the best option.
- Cancer patients choosing to work but needing some accommodations on the job may be protected by the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
After months of navigating a breast cancer diagnosis, she’s made a difficult decision: step back from her dream job to prioritize her health.
Courage isn’t always pushing harder.
Sometimes it’s choosing your health, your family, and being around for the long run.
I’m stepping down as OpenAI CMO to focus on cancer recovery. I hope to return in a different role when my health allows.
OpenAI has been extraordinary…
— Kate Rouch ?️ (@kate_rouch) April 3, 2026
Rouch announced she will step down as Chief Marketing Officer to concentrate on treatment and recovery. When she’s ready to return to work, she hopes to take on a role that better fits life as a breast cancer patient.
Support poured in immediately after her announcement.
“Thoughts and prayers for you,” wrote X user John D. Villarreal.
“I’m in the cheering section of your audience,” added Robert Scoble. “Many of us have gone through this. It takes a lot of courage. I can’t wait until you come back and say you beat cancer.”
Deciding When to Work or Step Back Amid Cancer Treatment
“We always encourage people to continue to work if they can,” says Sarah Stapleton, a clinical social worker at Montefiore Medical Center.
“I think it creates a sense of normalcy for patients.”
If you can work, you’ll be busy, and you may not be worrying about how your treatment is going, Stapleton adds.
Sometimes, cancer can make you feel isolated and lonely, and being around people for work can alleviate feelings of loneliness.
It’s important for you to have a conversation with your doctor before continuing to work during treatment. Ask your physician what you can and cannot do so you don’t disrupt ongoing treatment.
Remember, sometimes cancer treatment can cause fatigue, leaving you unable to fulfill your duties as you once could.
Fortunately, some on-the-job accommodations can make working during cancer treatment a little easier.
It’s important to remember that people with job problems related to cancer are protected by the Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act. Others may also benefit from the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This law allows many people with serious illnesses to take unpaid leave to get medical care or manage their symptoms.
Your human resources department should be able to share with you your options.
In some situations, employers must accommodate a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless the employer can show it would be an undue hardship to do so. This could mean making changes to work schedules, equipment, or policies.
WATCH: Will my cancer get me fired?
Laurie Ostacher, a behavioral health clinician at Stanford Health Care, recommends cancer patients talk with their employer about accommodations they may need upon returning to work.
“Patients need to let their employer know [they’re] going to need some flexibility… Because there are going to be days when you’re not as energetic or feeling as well as other days,” Ostacher explained.
When some of these benchmarks cannot be met because you’re struggling with treatment side effects or your treatment schedule interferes with your work schedule, perhaps stepping back from work or reducing your work schedule may be ideal.
Ultimately, you should remain in constant communication with your care team about your plans to work – or not – as that can factor into your overall treatment regimen.
Diagnosing Breast Cancer
Although Rouch hasn’t shared specific details about her breast cancer, SurvivorNet experts note that one of the first steps after diagnosis is testing the tumor for key receptors. These markers help doctors understand what’s driving the cancer and guide treatment decisions.
The three main receptors are estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and HER2.
“These receptors go hand in hand because they’re related to hormones,” explains medical oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Comen. If a tumor has ER or PR on its surface, it means the cancer uses those hormones to grow — information that becomes crucial when choosing therapy. Hormone‑positive cancers, for example, may respond well to treatments that block estrogen’s ability to fuel the tumor.
WATCH: The Unique Features Doctors Look For In Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients
HER2 is another important receptor.
“The discovery of the HER2 receptor has truly changed the landscape of breast cancer treatment,” Dr. Comen says. HER2‑positive cancers can respond remarkably well to targeted antibody therapies that block the receptor’s growth signals. Drugs like Herceptin and Perjeta are designed to prevent cancer cells from using HER2 to multiply.
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 women needing 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.
Breast Cancer Symptoms & Self-Exams
Women are encouraged to do regular self-exams to become familiar with how their breasts feel normally, so when something unusual like a lump does form, it can be easily detected. A self-exam includes pressing your fingertips along your breast in a circular motion.
For some women, that means going to their doctor and walking through what a self-breast exam looks like, so they know what normal breast tissue feels like so if they do feel something abnormal, whether it’s a lump or discharge from the nipple, they know what to ask and what to look for.
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)
Building the Courage to Share
Kate chose to bravely share her diagnosis with the hopes of inspiring others. Some people battling a disease or cancer are open to sharing their experiences as much as they can, while others prefer to keep it to themselves or close loved ones. SurvivorNet experts say both approaches, and everything in between, are valid.
“Patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer sometimes wonder how they are going to handle the diagnosis of the cancer in social situations,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik explains.
Plutchik says patients consider questions like “How much information should they share and with whom should they share the information?”
Dr. Plutchik explains, “There is no one right way to handle this diagnosis. People should do what feels right to them.”
WATCH: Sharing your diagnosis.
A cancer journey can last months to years, which means cancer warriors may be experiencing a lot of uncertainty until they fully understand where their health stands. This uncertainty can influence when a cancer patient is ready to share their diagnosis, Dr. Plutchik further explained.
Dr. Plutchik stresses that those close to a person going through cancer should be respectful of their wishes when it comes to disclosing their diagnosis and seeking support.
What To Ask Your Doctor
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may have questions about keeping your strength through treatment. SurvivorNet offers a host of resources to help you formulate questions to ask your care team as you navigate your treatment journey. Our AI-powered proprietary resource, “My Health Questions,” helps patients form questions and more.
Embedded across the SurvivorNet website, the tools deliver structured responses grounded in clinical guidelines and medically reviewed research to help people better understand their treatment options and feel more confident navigating care.
- 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?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
