When Love and a Life‑Changing Diagnosis Arrive at the Same Time
- A sudden shiver at work led 27-year-old Marissa Coreno to discover a lump, and quick testing confirmed an unexpected stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis.
- Throughout treatment, the man who reached out to ask her on a date stayed by her side; after she finished grueling treatment, which included chemotherapy, a double mastectomy (removal of the breasts), and radiation, he proposed.
- Early-stage breast cancer means the tumor is small and hasn’t spread to nearby lymph nodes. According to medical oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Comen, the first step is usually surgery to remove the cancer. This may involve a lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue are removed.
- Chemo works by traveling through the bloodstream, killing cancerous cells. However, healthy cells are also impacted in the process, leading to side effects that include fatigue, hair loss, nausea, gastrointestinal issues, and neuropathy.
- “Neuropathy is probably one of the most challenging side effects,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle. Neuropathy results from damage to the peripheral nerves.
- Radiation helps kill cancer cells in a targeted way, according to experts such as Dr. Chirag Shah, radiation oncologist and the division chair of Radiation Oncology at AHN Cancer Institute. With breast cancer, it is often used after surgery to kill off any cancer cells that may remain in the breast or surrounding area. Possible side effects may include swelling, fatigue, and scar tissue.
Marissa Coreno told WJW News that she was at work performing ultrasounds at a hospital in Westlake, Ohio, when she noticed the room felt chilly.
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Since she worked in a medical setting, she was able to get checked right away. The tests confirmed what she never expected at her age: stage 2 breast cancer.
Understanding Early-Stage Breast Cancer and What Comes Next
Early-stage breast cancer means the tumor is small and hasn’t spread to nearby lymph nodes. According to Dr. Comen, the first step is usually surgery to remove the cancer. This may involve a lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue are removed, often followed by radiation therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.
However, treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all. Factors like age, tumor size, family history, and personal preference may influence whether radiation is needed or if a patient chooses a more aggressive approach, such as a mastectomy—removal of the entire breast. After surgery, a pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope to help determine the next steps in treatment.
WATCH: Understanding Early Stage Breast Cancer
Diagnostic testing plays a critical role in shaping your care plan. If a mammogram or clinical breast exam reveals something abnormal, your care team may recommend:
- Diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound to get a closer look at the breast and nearby lymph nodes
- MRI scans for additional imaging detail
- Biopsy of suspicious areas, including lymph nodes, to confirm cancer
- Tumor marker testing to identify hormone receptors and proteins that influence treatment options
- Additional imaging to check for any signs of metastatic disease
Once all this information is gathered, your cancer is staged—based on tumor size, lymph node involvement, and whether it has spread. Staging helps guide treatment decisions, while hormone receptor and protein marker tests reveal how the cancer behaves and which therapies may be most effective.
Your healthcare team will consider all of these factors—alongside your personal health, values, and goals—to create a treatment plan tailored to you.
A Grueling Year of Treatment
Coreno explained that her treatment involved a year of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy (removal of the breasts), and radiation. Coreno told WJW News that among the side effects of treatment, the most impactful were losing her hair and sense of control over her life.
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Making the decision to undergo a mastectomy can be an emotional experience for many women facing breast cancer. While the surgery itself may only take a few hours, the changes can be difficult to adjust to mentally.
“A double mastectomy typically takes about two hours for the cancer part of the operation, the removal of the tissue,” Dr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, tells SurvivorNet. “The real length, the total length of the surgery, can often depend on what type of reconstruction [a patient] has.”
WATCH: Dr. Elisa Port explains what happens during a double mastectomy.
Chemotherapy is an effective tool for oncologists to help treat cancer by stopping cancerous cells from growing, dividing, and spreading to other organs. Chemo works by traveling through the bloodstream, killing cancerous cells. However, healthy cells are also impacted in the process, leading to side effects.
Patients almost universally experience fatigue, often alongside gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea. Doctors have many effective medications to combat chemo-induced nausea. “But mitigating that fatigue often depends on the patient,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.
“Neuropathy is probably one of the most challenging side effects,” says Dr. Urban. Neuropathy results from damage to the peripheral nerves. It usually resolves after chemotherapy treatment, but sometimes symptoms can persist. While it’s typically characterized by numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation in the hands and feet, neuropathy can have several different symptoms, including:
- Weakness in the hands or feet
- Stabbing or burning pain in the hands or feet
- Difficulty gripping, such as when holding a fork
- Difficulty with fine motor skills, such as writing or buttoning a shirt
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy. When chemotherapy affects the rapidly dividing cells in the lining of the stomach, the resulting cellular havoc in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to side effects such as nausea and vomiting. However, doctors can help patients mitigate the hit with various medications before, during, and after treatment.
“Part of the chemotherapy prescription includes a set regimen of anti-nausea medications,” says Dr. Urban. “We also ensure that patients have medications at home that they can use should they develop nausea after treatment.”
Hair loss is another side effect of chemotherapy.
WATCH: Coping with hair loss.
“For cancer patients, losing one’s hair can be unbelievably stressful. To start with, the dread of losing one’s hair can lead to some sleepless nights and feelings of anxiety,” Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, told SurvivorNet.
Chemotherapy can cause hair loss. It usually begins about three to four weeks after chemotherapy and continues throughout treatment.
It happens because this treatment targets quickly dividing cells throughout the body. That includes cancer cells but also hair cells.
Most patients can expect regrowth four to six weeks after treatment. However, it is possible that when your hair grows back, you may notice some changes in its color and texture.
Tips for Navigating Chemo Side Effects
When dealing with fatigue, doctors don’t have an arsenal of weapons to combat fatigue in terms of prescription medications. However, you can do several things to help minimize the hit and restore your energy.
- Exercise: While it may be counterintuitive, physical activity can help alleviate side effects, especially fatigue. “Although ovarian cancer is not common, we often draw upon the experience of patients with breast cancer and colon cancer, who have shown that physical activity can not only improve quality of life but may also have beneficial impacts on cancer outcomes,” Dr. Urban says.
- Eat well: Even though nausea may interfere with your ability to eat a healthy diet, it’s essential to ensure you’re eating appropriately, getting enough protein, and not losing weight. Not only will nourishing your body support your recovery, but it may also help you feel more energized.
- Sleep: Want to mitigate fatigue? Be sure to maintain your regular sleep-wake cycle while on treatment. Sticking to a set sleep schedule helps reduce fatigue by ensuring enough hours for your body to heal and restore itself each night. It may also help you recover more quickly by keeping energy levels high during the daytime.
Treating Neuropathy Symptoms
Doctors have several strategies for helping patients deal with this side effect. Once a patient begins experiencing the symptoms of neuropathy, they’ll be carefully monitored to make sure it doesn’t get worse. Before each chemotherapy infusion, the attending oncologist will assess whether the symptoms have progressed. If the symptoms worsen, they may adjust the dose or delay treatment. They may also try switching to another chemotherapy drug.
How to Get a Handle on Nausea
Most of these anti-nausea medications last for more than eight hours. One of the infusions commonly used reduces the degree of nausea for up to three days.
Complementary approaches may also be helpful. A few favorites:
- Ginger: Studies consistently show that ginger helps alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea. The powerful herb appears to have an anti-spasmodic effect on the gut. Not a fan of raw ginger? Suck on ginger candy, sip ginger ale, or make a steaming cup of ginger tea.
- Pressure bracelets: at your local pharmacy, these bracelets provide consistent pressure on a particular acupressure point on the wrist to reduce nausea.
- Deep breathing: Moving air in and out of your lungs with a few deep breaths can help relieve nausea, particularly if you pair deep breathing exercises with meditation. It can also help you relax and release stress and anxiety.
WATCH: Managing chemo side effects.
Coping with Hair Loss
If losing your hair is a concern for you before cancer treatment, know you have options like wigs, hats, wraps, and scarves, among other things.
Another option that can minimize hair loss is cryotherapy, “just a fancy way for saying cold therapy,” says Dr. Renata Urban, gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Cryotherapy involves wearing cold caps or special cooling caps before, during, and after each chemotherapy treatment.
Radiation Therapy: A Powerful Tool with Long-Term Considerations
Radiation therapy—using high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells—is a common follow-up to breast cancer surgery, especially for patients who choose a lumpectomy over a mastectomy. Its goal: reduce the risk of recurrence by targeting any lingering cancer cells in the breast or surrounding tissue.
While effective, radiation can come with side effects, both immediate and delayed. Common symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Swelling
- Scar tissue
- Shortness of breath
One of the more serious concerns involves the heart, which can unintentionally absorb radiation due to its proximity to the breast.
“When the radiation is delivered, unfortunately, the heart happens to be somewhere very near to where they have their breast cancer, and it becomes an innocent bystander absorbing some of the radiation,” explained Dr. Jean-Bernard Durand to SurvivorNet.
This exposure can lead to complications such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and even heart failure—sometimes surfacing decades after treatment.
“We make it a point to see them on a regular basis so that we can catch these things very early and treat them,” Dr. Durand added.
Even advanced techniques like proton therapy, which aim to minimize damage to healthy tissue, aren’t immune to side effects. Fatigue remains a common complaint, and the risk of long-term injury still exists.
“Radiation is a form of energy… and when we give radiation, it has the ability to scatter,” Dr. Durand said. “Even though we may target one particular area, that scattering of energy can cause injury to the local surrounding structures, including the heart.”
Over time, this injury can lead to the development of scar tissue within the heart muscle, its electrical system, and blood supply.
“We believe it is what causes all the injury, that ultimately leads to the symptoms,” he explained.
For survivors, this underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring and open conversations with care teams.
Radiation treatment continues to evolve, with ongoing debates among experts about how to reduce side effects while optimizing outcomes. Dr. Shah outlined three key areas of discussion:
- Whole vs. Partial Breast Radiation: Shortening treatment duration and minimizing side effects are promising, though long-term data are still emerging.
- Identifying Patients Who May Not Need Radiation: Some individuals may not benefit from radiation, and omitting it could reduce unnecessary risks.
- Technique Optimization: Advancements in delivery methods aim to improve effectiveness while limiting harm to healthy tissue.
“I think the first debate that we have is whole breast radiation versus partial breast radiation and the idea of reducing duration of treatment and reducing side effects for patients, albeit with less than 10 years’ worth of long-term data,” Dr. Shah explained to SurvivorNet.
A Bright Spot During Treatment
Marissa was in the middle of her treatment journey when Anthony Coreno reached out and asked if he could take her on a date. She was interested, but she worried that her diagnosis and the road ahead might complicate anything new. When she opened up to him about her cancer experience, she was relieved—and deeply moved—that it didn’t diminish his desire to get to know her.
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“I said it’s probably a lot of baggage, and he said, ‘No, not at all. Let me take you out.’” Marissa said.
After completing treatment, Anthony proposed, and the two later married—now even stronger as a couple after facing their first major challenge, a cancer battle they navigated side by side.
Although Marissa’s journey from diagnosis to chemo to a wedding cake serves as a helpful dose of hope to some patients in the midst of their cancer journey, she says she is sharing her story to push others to be proactive about their health.
“If you feel like something is wrong, you need to advocate for yourself,” Marissa said.
How To Help A Partner Diagnosed With Cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, it’s natural for spouses to grapple with a whirlwind of emotions — anger, grief, anxiety, and beyond. The journey ahead can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. There are strategies to navigate uncertainty, find support, and face challenges with resilience.
Some popular approaches, backed by research and many anecdotal accounts, include:
- Talking to a therapist to share feelings you’re going through
- Having candid conversations with your loved one about the diagnosis
- Researching the disease together to learn about available treatment options
- Joining a support group or connecting with others who have gone through, or are going through, the same experience
Your Role As A Caregiver
SurvivorNet has spoken with a collection of expert oncologists, social workers, and patient advocates to provide a helpful list of how cancer caregivers can help throughout the treatment journey and beyond.
Attend Doctor Visits
Throughout the treatment process, there will be many occasions when the patient receives a large amount of information at once. As a caregiver, attending as many doctor visits as possible can be a huge help. This allows you to take notes on treatment options, protocols, lifestyle changes that may be needed, and more.
Connect With a Social Worker or Patient Navigator
Ask for the patient’s medical team to connect you with a patient navigator or social worker. Many hospitals and cancer centers have specialized staff available to connect you with additional resources, which may include arranging transportation to and from doctor appointments, assisting with insurance claims, and more.
WATCH: How Patient Navigators Can Help
“Patient navigators can function differently at different hospitals,” Dr. Kathie-Ann Joseph, a surgical oncologist at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet.
“We have a really wonderful program at [NYU] where we use lay navigators, meaning they’re not nurses — although you can use nurses or social workers, that pretty much help newly diagnosed cancer patients through the continuum of care,” Dr. Joseph added.
Additional services patient navigators may provide include:
- Attending future appointments with you
- Providing an assessment for the next steps of care
- Assisting with housing, transportation, or immigration issues
- Helping with financial issues
- Providing direction on legal issues
Help the Patient Keep Track of Their Symptoms
As mind-boggling as a cancer diagnosis can be for a spouse or loved one, it’s likely more stressful for the patient.
Sometimes, it is easier for the caregiver to monitor the patient’s symptoms than for the patient. Try to maintain an open line of communication and encourage your loved one to share their feelings regularly to help monitor symptoms.
Let the Patient Speak for Themselves Whenever Possible
As a caregiver, your role is to be the best advocate possible for the patient. While assisting them with various tasks, it is essential to allow them to maintain a sense of independence whenever possible. Cancer caregivers can help keep track of symptoms, navigate finances, and even emotions — but they should also let the person they are caring for speak up about what they genuinely need throughout the process.
“Some of the best examples that I have seen in caregivers are those spouses or loved ones who really, almost sit back and allow the patient, or they want the patient to express what the patient feels first, rather than barging in,” gynecologic oncologist Dr. Jayanthi Lea told SurvivorNet.
“…Step back a little bit and let the patient speak for themselves. Let them express what they are feeling. That is so important for the patient’s overall quality of life and well-being,” Dr. Lea added.
When to Screen for Breast Cancer
The medical community has a broad consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should now start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
WATCH: Mammograms are still the best tool for detecting breast cancer.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, 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 the age of 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
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 of developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Regular Self-Exams Are Helpful In Between Mammograms
A self-breast exam is an easy way to monitor your breasts for abnormalities. It involves feeling the breast for swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple.
WATCH: How to perform a self-exam.
Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found that is concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.
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 that women who need 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.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you have a breast cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet suggests the following questions to kickstart your conversation with your doctor.
- Do I have dense breasts?
- Do I need to undergo additional or more sensitive screening?
- How is my risk level being assessed?
- Will insurance cover additional screening if needed?
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