ROANOKE, Va. – One in eight women is diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. For Roanoke woman, Angela Firebaugh, becoming part of that statistic was unexpected, especially after 15 years of clear mammograms.
“I felt something that didn’t feel quite right,” said Firebaugh, recalling the shower self-check that led to her diagnosis in July 2024. Despite years of regular screenings and a healthy lifestyle, she was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma, a form of breast cancer that can be particularly challenging to detect.
“When they were talking to me about it at the ultrasound, that ultrasound that I failed, the radiation doctor said, yeah, this one is harder to find because of the way it grows and is often undetectable on those 3D mammograms,” said Firebaugh.
Firebaugh’s case highlights the importance of breast awareness.
“I was really surprised and kind of mad because I had 15 negative mammograms, and I had dense breast tissue. I was having 3D mammograms and thought I was doing all the right things,” said Firebaugh.
Following her diagnosis, Firebaugh underwent a double mastectomy, followed by an extensive treatment plan that included about 16 rounds of chemotherapy, 25 rounds of radiation, and temporary expanders, which are filled with saline to hold the skin through the rest of her treatment. Earlier this week, Firebaugh had successful reconstruction surgery.
During her chemotherapy, Firebaugh tried innovative approaches to manage side effects, including cold capping to preserve her hair and wearing cold mittens and socks to prevent neuropathy.
“It just made the chemo day way more stressful than it needed to be because I was so cold all day,” said Firebaugh.
Sarah Samples, a nurse practitioner at Carilion Clinic’s breast surgery office, said there are several key steps for breast cancer prevention and early detection.
“Living a healthy lifestyle is a big one, remaining smoke-free is big, and also not being overweight would help,” said Samples.
She recommends that women begin breast awareness practices at age 25, such as knowing what is normal for their bodies, self-breast exams, and undergoing risk assessments to determine appropriate screening schedules.
She also emphasizes that knowing your risk level is crucial because this can help doctors catch breast cancer early.
“Knowing your risk can help getting the appropriate screenings and imaging in the appropriate intervals so that anything you might develop, we catch early,” said Samples.
Samples said you can know your risk level by talking with your primary care or OBGYN doctor where they’ll ask you questions about your personal health and family history. She said it’s best to know your risk level at 25 years old. Once you know your risk level, your doctor can determine how often you need to get mammograms.
She said for average-risk women, annual mammograms typically begin at age 40. However, if you are at higher risk, your doctor will need to determine how often you get your mammograms.
“Breast cancer it can largely be sometimes just a simple surgery and maybe a pill for a few years if we catch it early,” said Samples.
Firebaugh, who just completed her final reconstruction surgery earlier this week, has advice for other women: “Be very aware of your body, of any changes in your body internally or externally. Just know little differences in how you feel,” said Firebaugh.