Italia Russell is happy to be getting back to her normal life with her husband and family, traveling, and working. For over a year, the Freeport, Grand Bahama, resident dealt with a breast cancer diagnosis and traveled to Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital for treatment.
Her cancer journey began when she discovered a lump in her breast shortly after her 30th birthday. A month earlier, she had tested positive for the BRCA gene (BRCA stands for BReast CAncer), which meant she was at an increased risk for developing breast cancer in her lifetime. She had done the testing at the urging of Elizabeth Stone, MD, an oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital.
Dr. Stone had treated Italia’s mother 15 years prior for stage 2, triple-negative breast cancer. Italia’s mother had tested positive for the BRCA gene. At the time her mother was diagnosed, Italia was 16 and, though Dr. Stone had encouraged her then to get tested for BRCA as well, Italia said she was too afraid to learn the results. BRCA gene mutations are hereditary.
Italia said she decided to go through with the genetic test because she was at her mother’s appointment with Dr. Stone.
When Italia discovered the lump in August, she said she knew what she would do.
“I knew that if this was heading down the path I thought it was, I’m definitely going to Cleveland Clinic,” she says. Her mother had undergone a mastectomy and chemotherapy there, and Italia was impressed with the care she received.
Italia headed to Florida and had a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy done before being diagnosed with stage 2, triple-negative breast cancer. She stayed with an aunt in Weston while she received seven months of chemotherapy treatments.
She then had a double mastectomy performed by Cassann Blake, MD. At the same time, plastic surgeon Andres Mascaro, MD, performed a Goldilocks procedure — a reconstruction technique in which remaining healthy skin and fatty tissue are used to form mounds and give shape to the breast area. Patients who undergo this fairly new procedure may go on to have a more robust reconstruction of the breast if they choose.
Italia also received immunotherapy as part of her care. Immunotherapy helps the immune system identify and destroy cancer cells.
Italia’s body responded well to the chemotherapy, and her tumor was gone by the time she had the mastectomy. She has no evidence of the disease at this point.
Italia encourages anyone advised by a doctor to undergo genetic testing to do it. She says if she had the BRCA testing when she was 16, she would likely have been doing more preventive screenings and maybe her cancer could have been caught earlier.
“Even though you may be afraid, it could prevent you from actually having to go through all of this,” she says. “And the earlier you catch cancer, the better the response to treatment and the chance of survival.”
Visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Mammo to schedule a screening or call 877.463.2010 to make an appointment with a breast specialist at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital.
