Program sheds light on rare cancer

Published: Tuesday, 3/4/2014

BY MARLENE HARRIS-TAYLOR BLADE STAFF WRITER

Melissa Paskvan believes she is a breast cancer survivor today because she didnt listen to her doctors advice nearly five years ago.

The 45-year-old Toledo woman discovered a lump by chance in 2009 while scratching an itch on her ribs just beneath her breast.

But when the mammogram came back negative, her original doctor told her it was probably just a cyst and that she probably shouldnt be too alarmed.

He was really reluctant, and he didnt push to get it looked at. Im glad I didnt listen, Ms. Paskvan said.

She had an ultrasound that showed a 2-centimeter growth, and she insisted that he take a biopsy of the growth immediately.

Two days later, the lab confirmed her suspicion that the mass was cancerous.

Ms. Paskvan soon learned that she was suffering from a very rare, aggressive form of breast cancer called Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

I knew there was something there. I had a gut feeling. You have to be an advocate for your own body, she said.

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Program sheds light on rare cancer