Lisa Velez's Battle With Zero Breast Cancer
- Lisa Velez, 58, a former member of the iconic music group “Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam,” has revealed that undergoing chemotherapy amid her secret battle against stage zero (ductal carcinoma in situ) DCIS didn’t stop her from living her life to the fullest.
- When a person has DCIS, stage zero cancer, it means abnormal cells can be found in the breast milk duct and have become cancerous but have not yet metastasized or spread to other parts of the body.
- 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, like Velez chose to do after her diagnosis. SurvivorNet experts say both approaches and everything in between are valid.
- Some possible reasons why cancer patients may choose to keep their diagnosis private are to maintain a sense of privacy and control and avoid pity, stigma, and discrimination. Patients may also be motivated to keep their diagnoses private because they want to reclaim a sense of normalcy and protect their loved ones.
- If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group filled with loved ones are there to help you on your journey.
The New York City-native, now 58, who was a key member of the iconic music group “Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam,” was diagnosed with stage zero (ductal carcinoma in situ) DCIS [something SurvivorNet experts consider as a type of “pre-cancer”] when she was just 21 years old.
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She told The Sun in a recent interview that she hid her cancer diagnosis “from everyone,” even her mom, telling the news outlet, “I was on the road with a Walkman that had my chemo in it.
“It didn’t stop me from doing what I loved to do.”
The mom of two, who are now 18 and 20 years old, added, “I live to be on a stage and performing. I kept it moving.”
Velez, who also admitted to dreaming of wanting “see my name up in lights” since she was a little girl, is looking forward to having her sons see her perform in her upcoming tour.
“They’ve known since they were babies what I do, but now they really understand and they know what I’m about,” she noted.
Velez, who is proud to be of Puerto Rican-decent, also told The Sun that her popular hairdo, with her bangs off to the side, actually stemmed from an minor mishap as she used to cut her own hair.
“I was getting ready for a gig and I just started cutting. I kept cutting and cutting and I got a bald spot because I got a razor and went in because I wanted it shorter,” she explained. “That accident made me grow my hair to one side to cover that bald spot, and it stuck. So, if it’s a trend, OK.”
Meanwhile, Velez also recently spoke on the Tamron Hall Show about how she went through chemotherapy at 21 years old, something she said was “hard to talk about back then.”
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“It was hard. There was no one to speak on it … really. And to be on tour, and to have to carry that pack, underneath clothing … the guys used to ask me ‘are you gaining weight?’ or ‘are you pregnant?’ … and I was like, ‘No, I’m going through chemo,” she explained.
“Yeah, no one knew. I had to hide it, basically. My mom didn’t even know.”
As for what led her to get checked, Velez told Tamron Hall, “I was just checking myself out one day and I was like ‘Wow, what are these bruises? [on the back side of her breasts] I have to get myself checked.'”
She recounting stopping at a doctor while she was on tour, adding, “When I got checked, my oncologist said ‘you have ductal carcinoma.’ And it was difficult, it was really, really hard. I didn’t know what to do, who to speak to, my doctor was like ‘you should not be on tour’ and I said, ‘I have to work because I have bills to pay.”
We’re delighted to see Velez being so open about her past health struggle and continuing to do what she loves to this day.
On her 58th birthday on January 15, 2024, Velez took to Instagram to share some photos of herself alongside the caption, “It’s a Puerto Rican’s birthday today.
“I am Blessed to see another year and excited to see what it brings. 58 feels so damn good and I’m loving it!”
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Understanding Stage Zero Breast Cancer
Stage zero breast cancer refers to DCIS otherwise known as Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. DCIS are abnormal cells that line the duct in a breast. A normal breast is made up of lots of ducts (these ducts carry milk to the nipple in a woman who is lactating).
DCIS is not an invasive cancer, meaning it hasn’t spread outside the milk duct and it cannot invade other parts of the breast. In some instances, if left untreated, doctors believe that DCIS can evolve into a more invasive breast cancer. For this reason, historically, the standard treatment for DCIS is to remove it surgically and in some instances offer radiation as well.
Helping Patients Cope with Early-Stage Breast Cancer
I Have Stage Zero Breast Cancer: What Should I Do?
But many doctors aren’t sure if even that is necessary for DCIS, because it may or may not turn into cancer. A large study, known as the COMET study, is currently underway looking at the benefit of active surveillance versus standard treatment.
This kind of study will help doctors determine whether doing less may be just as effective as doing more. In the meantime, the options are worth weighing depending on your individual diagnosis and concerns.
Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute says the problem is that “there’s no way to predict which cases of DCIS are harmless and which will become life-threatening.” However, experts agree that, when caught at this early stage, the prognosis for women is “excellent.”
Women at high-risk of breast cancer may consider a prophylactic mastectomy, says Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
When Is It Okay to Share Your Diagnosis?
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.
Questions like “How much information should they share and with whom should they share the information?” are things Plutchik says patients take into consideration.
Dr. Plutchik explains, “There is no one right way to handle this diagnosis. People should do what feels right to them.”
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.
Adjusting to Life After a Diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis will undoubtedly upend your life in some form, but learning to cope with the onset of changes can make the adjustment easier to bear. You may notice your emotions and feelings fluctuating, ranging from high anxiety to depression. Experiencing a range of emotions and feelings is completely normal.
Dr. Plutchik says your emotions are likely to be fluid in the first few days, weeks, and possibly even months after a diagnosis.
Cancer patients are encouraged to build a support system of people they trust to help manage these emotions during this sensitive period. Mental health professionals are also very helpful in managing emotions during the cancer journey.
Cancer and treatment can have an impact on your physical appearance. Chemotherapy, for example, often causes hair loss, which can drastically alter how you view yourself.
Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin explained to SurvivorNet, “Cancer changes who you are both physically and emotionally.”
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology questioned how self-esteem should be considered in cancer patients. Researchers noted cancer patients’ framing of their diagnosis and how they cope with their diagnosis and subsequent treatment impacts their self-esteem throughout their cancer journeys.
“Adaptive adjustment strategies (positive reframing, use of emotional support, active coping, acceptance, and planning) in breast cancer patients were associated with high self-esteem. Social support also appears to be strongly related to self-esteem,” the study says.
WATCH: How a breast cancer survivor embraced changes to her body.
Dr. Strongin suggests looking at the part or parts of your body impacted by the cancer or cancer treatment to help you cope with body changes. She recommends creating a regular practice of accepting your body image because it enables you to accept your cancer journey emotionally and physically.
“As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body. It may not happen immediately, but you can start honoring and thanking your new body with time. Just because the treatment is behind you, the emotional recovery can take longer,” Dr. Strongin adds.
If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group is filled with loved ones who are there to help you on your journey.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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