Lisa Salvaggio, a 31-year-old jewelry business owner from Tamarac, was diagnosed with breast cancer after her doctor ordered imaging that a physical exam alone would not have provided, according to a story published by the Boca Raton Tribune on Oct. 9.
Salvaggio had experienced breast pain for several months. Her doctor did not feel a lump during the exam, but because of her symptoms and strong family history, she sent Salvaggio for her first mammogram and ultrasound. The pain was caused by a cyst, but the imaging also showed microcalcifications, later diagnosed as ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS. The condition is non-invasive, meaning abnormal cells remain inside the milk ducts.
Salvaggio was treated by the breast cancer team at the Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health. An MRI showed the DCIS was more extensive than expected. She had a double mastectomy followed by reconstruction. Because her surgical margins remained positive, she was referred to radiation oncology and completed 15 radiation sessions.
Salvaggio is continuing her recovery, with one more reconstructive surgery planned. She will also undergo annual MRI exams. She is now designing symbolic jewelry for other breast cancer survivors.
Her case, according to the article, shows why women with a significant family history or other risk factors should talk with their doctors about individual screening needs.
