- A breastfeeding mom found out a lump in her breast was cancer, after learning she was pregnant again.
- Doctors were able to plan chemotherapy and radiation so both she and the baby were safe.
- Breast cancer during pregnancy is rare and harder to treat — timing is crucial.
A breastfeeding mom noticed a lump in her breast that she thought was a milk calcification, but turned out to be stage 2 breast cancer, TODAY reported.
Stephanie Rifici, a 35-year-old flight attendant from Cleveland, told TODAY that she had frequently experienced hard calcium deposits while breastfeeding in late 2020, which usually went away.
When a lump in her left breast didn't disappear, she went in for mammogram, ultrasound, and needle biopsy. While waiting for the results, she learned she was actually expecting another child.
Then, in September 2020, the screening identified an aggressive form of breast cancer called triple negative, which has fewer treatment options and usually worse outcomes than other types, according to the American Cancer Society.
"A week after I found out I was pregnant … I unfortunately got the call that I indeed did have breast cancer," Rifici told TODAY.
The cancer was Stage 2, meaning it was growing but still contained in the breast, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Rifici and her husband told TODAY they weren't sure how to proceed with treatment, since doctors say there isn't much data on pregnant women with breast cancer and timing is crucial.
Rifici's medical team at Cleveland Clinic planned first a surgery, then a type of chemotherapy that wouldn't cross into the placenta, keeping the baby safe.
Rifici gave birth in April 2021, and after more chemotherapy and extensive radiation treatments, she and baby Leo are both healthy, TODAY reported.
Breast cancer during pregnancy is rare, and can be safely treated
Breast cancer affects about 1 in 3,000 pregnant women, according to a 2008 review.
Treatment depends on the type and stage of cancer and how far along the pregnancy is — some treatments, like chemotherapy, aren't recommended until the second or third trimester, while radiation is typically only done after the baby is delivered, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
While pregnancy can make breast cancer harder to identity and treat, research suggests pregnant women have similar outcomes as non-pregnant patients, according to the American Cancer Society.
Breast cancer treatment can also cause complications for breastfeeding, so it's important to consult a lactation expert, according to the American Cancer Society.
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