How One Breast Saved My Life: Patty Schone’s Unexpected Cancer Journey

A routine mammogram turned into a life-changing discovery

During a routine mammogram, doctors found something unusual in Patty Schone’s left breast. But the real danger was actually hiding in her right breast.

“If it hadn’t been for my left breast, I would’ve gone home thinking I was cancer-free,” said Patty, a nurse educator.

At first, Patty was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in her left breast and was scheduled for a mastectomy. But her surgeon ordered a bilateral MRI prior to surgery as a follow-up test because Patty has dense breast tissue. The MRI revealed something more serious: invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in her right breast. It was stage 1B and had already spread to a lymph node.

“I felt like I was knocked down again when I heard about the right breast. I was shocked, emotional, and felt like I couldn’t stay grounded,” said Patty, who was 63 when she was diagnosed on February 17, 2025.

What is Invasive Lobular Carcinoma?

ILC starts in the glands of the breast that make milk, called lobules. ILC can be harder to detect than other types of breast cancer, like invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). This is because ILC doesn’t always show up clearly on mammograms. It’s also more likely to affect both breasts than other types. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 5 women with ILC have cancer in both breasts when they’re diagnosed.

According to the American Cancer Society’s Lobular Breast Cancer Statistics report, 33,600 women in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with ILC in 2025. White women have the highest rate of ILC (14.7 per 100,000). Rates vary by race and are 33% to 55% lower in Black, Native American, and Hispanic women.

Leaning on her experience and her family

Patty’s cancer diagnosis was overwhelming, but she used her 23-year nursing background to stay calm and informed. She started researching for information, asking questions to her care team, and preparing her family.

“Being a nurse helped me stay focused. I knew what to look for and what to read,” she said. “I got my results and called my family right away. I needed to understand everything before I talked to them.”

Patty’s diagnosis affected her deeply.

“Twice I broke down in public, and that’s not like me,” she said. “I usually hold it together and get things done.”

She found strength in her family. She leaned on her husband and daughter for support. Her husband made meals and was by her side at every appointment. Her daughter, also a nurse, stepped in to help care for her and provided loving support.

Treatment and recovery

Patty had a double mastectomy, breast reconstruction with expanders, and 16 radiation treatments to her right chest. Her surgeon didn’t see anything unusual during surgery, but follow-up tests showed that her cancer had spread to a lymph node, which meant she needed radiation therapy.

She now takes a hormone therapy pill every day to help keep her estrogen levels low. For Patty’s type of ILC, lowering the estrogen level can help slow the cancer’s growth or help prevent it from coming back.

Turning pain into purpose

This experience inspired Patty to educate the women in her life about lobular breast cancer and the risks of dense breast tissue.

“None of the young women in my family knew what dense breast tissue was, so I taught my 10 nieces and two daughters. We have to stop women from being diagnosed when the cancer is more advanced,” she said.