萝莉社

A mother diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer didn't stop until she found the care she needed at 萝莉社.

When it comes to your health, you are your own best advocate.

That became crystal clear for C.J. Jackson-Gonzalez, 28, when a biopsy revealed stage III triple-negative breast cancer in April 2016. Six months had passed before her Southern California health care provider even ordered a biopsy. It was supposed to have been nothing serious.

鈥淚f nobody feels like this is something to stress about, then I鈥檓 not going to stress about it,鈥� Jackson-Gonzalez said, recalling her frame of mind in the early stages of her cancer journey.

Challenging cancer care

When the biopsy confirmed it was cancer, Jackson-Gonzalez鈥檚 attitude changed. As a single mother of an 11-year-old boy, survival was imperative, but ongoing, debilitating chemotherapy was not an option. After the delayed diagnosis, she was not going to sit back and blindly take anyone鈥檚 advice anymore. She went forward with an immediate double mastectomy, but was extremely critical of her future treatment.

鈥淚 had to ask questions and make them explain to me what鈥檚 going on,鈥� Jackson-Gonzalez said. 鈥淚 had to do my research and try to align it with what they were saying. These are things that matter because at the end of the day it is my life on the line.鈥�

Jackson-Gonzalez involved herself deeply in her own care. She needed to find a provider willing to work with her and her self-described 鈥渂ullheadedness.鈥� It was this outlook, in part, that led her and her son, Jeffrey, to leave their California home shortly after the mastectomy. They returned to Jacksonville, where she had spent time working a few years prior.

Her first oncologist in Jacksonville told her she didn鈥檛 need to be scanned for cancer because she did not have any physical signs of illness. But in San Antonio, where she had traveled for reconstructive breast surgery, her surgeon had to abort the procedure when he discovered cancer in the lymph nodes surrounding her lungs.

A subsequent PET scan and MRI revealed the cancer had progressed to stage IV. Within days, she underwent emergency surgery to remove a 2.5-centimeter brain tumor. Her neurologist gave her a year to live, with or without treatment.

Three separate oncologists agreed indefinite, intravenous chemotherapy was the best course of action. Jackson-Gonzalez wasn鈥檛 having it. That treatment plan would leave her exhausted and unable to care for Jeffrey.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not going to work,鈥� she told them. 鈥淵ou need to give me a timestamp of when we are starting and when we are ending because we are not going to just keep doing that.鈥�

Her research indicated an aggressive combination of two chemotherapy drugs, administered within a defined window of time, may be more successful against triple-negative breast cancer. They shrugged her off.

鈥淭his is how we treat stage IV,鈥� one of them told her. 鈥淲hen you are stage IV, you鈥檙e on IV chemo indefinitely.鈥�

Jackson-Gonzalez, who was younger than most patients with stage IV cancer and had exhibited very few physical manifestations beyond the original lump in her breast, viewed her own case as unique. The standard treatment was unacceptable to her, especially when her own research showed other options were available if only she could find a willing provider.

Persistence pays off

She sought another second opinion 鈥� call it a fourth or fifth opinion 鈥� from 萝莉社 Hematology and Oncology 鈥� Jacksonville, where the providers were receptive. They listened, explained and worked with her. Together they charted a course that would allow her to continue working as long as possible, as well as driving her son to school, soccer practice and piano lessons. Her 萝莉社 doctors opted to proceed with a 12-week course of the two chemotherapy drugs she had learned about in her research.

Her 萝莉社 doctors explained that, yes, indefinite, IV chemotherapy is how stage IV is traditionally treated, but that there are thousands of subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer. The standard approach may not apply in all cases, particularly with a young patient.

鈥淓ven a stage IV patient can be controlled for a long time, as long as we have a well-coordinated, multidisciplinary team and a patient鈥檚 participation,鈥� said , chief of the division of hematology and medical oncology for the .

She began chemotherapy with 萝莉社 in July 2017. Through 10 weeks of treatment, she continued working. She continued to drive Jeffrey to Hendricks Avenue Elementary School, to his piano lessons and across town to the beach for soccer practice, where she would work remotely from her car.

A PET scan in August revealed signs of hope, but there was still more work to be done. Radiation began in October 鈥� 30 rounds daily for six weeks. Jackson-Gonzalez finally took some time off work, but was there for her son throughout her treatment.

鈥淗e did try to act out a couple of times,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e almost got into a depressive state, where he didn鈥檛 want to play soccer, didn鈥檛 want to play piano anymore and didn鈥檛 care about school. I told him this is a lot for both of us to carry, but your fear is lying to you. You鈥檝e got to let it go and focus on what you need to focus on.鈥�

Jeffrey had an A/B average that fall. He will be taking a year off from soccer, but earned a scholarship for his piano lessons. As for Jackson-Gonzalez, January tests revealed she was cancer-free. She is currently in remission, with no evidence of the disease.

Satisfying solution

The pair celebrated with a trip to New York City, a first for both of them, before she started taking an oral chemotherapy drug used to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. Her doctors remain confident that she should expect to live another 15 to 20 years, or longer. 鈥淣owadays, late-stage cancer can be treated as a chronic disease, and patients can have a good quality of life,鈥� Rana said. 鈥淭his patient is a perfect example of new treatment options and of a patients鈥� active participation through the treatment process.鈥�

She is thankful for her providers at 萝莉社, who were caring enough to listen and to see her as an individual and more than another stage IV case.

鈥淚 have fought with three or four doctors,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淚 have fought with my family, who said you have to just listen to your doctor. Everyone wanted to talk about what would happen if I didn鈥檛 listen to the doctor. Fortunately, my 萝莉社 providers were willing to listen to me and address my needs, providing me with the best results.鈥�