Zaneta's Breast Cancer Diagnosis

“I was very healthy my whole life,” says Zaneta Moser. “I had never had a surgery or gotten the flu.”

That all changed in 2011, when Moser had a mammogram that came back with an abnormal lump. Her next step was needle testing and the lump came back as fatty tissue. At the recommendation of her gynecologist, Danny Benjamin, M.D., OB/GYN at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, she went for additional testing at the Sinai Center for Women at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital.

On December 2, 2011 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “The news was very shocking,” she says. “It turned out to be a low grade cancer because they caught it early.”

Moser had lumpectomy surgery and lymph nodes under her arms removed. After her surgery, she started radiation treatments with Kimberly Hart, M.D., radiation oncologist at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. “Dr. Hart and team were very good at explaining the process to me,” she says. “They always made me comfortable.”

During her treatment, she continued to work full-time. “I wasn’t able to walk away from my job when I was diagnosed,” says Moser. “My company was very supportive of me and gave me the extra time I needed for my treatments. Dr. Hart and the radiology team helped the process by always being on time.”  

She also recently tested positive for the abnormal BRCA2 gene, which means her risk of developing breast cancer in her lifetime is between about 40% and 85% and her lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is significantly elevated as well. “My sister died from ovarian cancer so when I tested positive for the BRCA2 gene, I went ahead and had my ovaries and tubes removed by Dr. Benjamin,” she says. “I feel lucky for the advances in medicine because this test didn’t exist when my sister was diagnosed with cancer.”

Moser is an advocate for mammograms because they can lead to earlier diagnosis, resulting in a significant decrease in breast cancer deaths. “You have to be proactive with your health,” she says. “Detection is the key. Early detection is what helped me identify this before it got much worse.”

“I did have my days where it was overwhelming but all of my physicians, nurses and the medical staff were so supportive, compassionate and concerned for me,” she says. “They walked me through a negative experience that became a positive thing.”

This testimonial reflects the experience and outcome of this patient. Actual results and outcomes will vary by individual.