Young mom "living, not just surviving" after incurable cancer diagnosis
Summary
Elissa Kalver, a young mother, was diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, an aggressive form that has spread to multiple parts of her body and is considered incurable but treatable. Thanks to new medicines and ongoing treatment, her condition has improved, and she continues to live with the disease while managing her quality of life.Key Facts
- Elissa Kalver was 34 when she found a lump in her breast and was later diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.
- HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer grows fast and spreads, making it incurable but possible to treat.
- HER2 is a protein that controls cell growth, and patients with high HER2 levels have a more aggressive cancer type.
- Early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer has a 97% five-year survival rate, but metastatic cases drop to about 39%.
- New medications developed in the past 10-15 years target HER2 and help many patients live longer.
- Treatment involves regular scans and changes if the cancer worsens, balancing life quality and side effects.
- Kalver’s cancer spread to her brain, but targeted chemotherapy that can enter the brain reduced her tumors significantly.
- She has participated in clinical trials and various therapies over four years since her diagnosis.
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