Stephanie Seban

Receiving a misdiagnosis and being treated for the wrong type of breast cancer for five years led Stephanie Seban to discover the importance of knowing her own diagnosis. That’s why Seban, now a wellness advocate and cancer thriver, shares her story with others — in the hope of inspiring them to learn all they can about their own diagnosis and be their own best advocates.

® Educated Patient Breast Cancer Summit, Seban explained why, despite the fear one might feel, learning all you can about your diagnosis is key to feeling more empowered on your cancer journey.

Definitely get a second opinion and know your diagnosis. (I’ve met) so many women, over my almost nine years of advocating, and I’ll ask them, “What kind of breast cancer do you have?” and they don’t know.

No judgment, sometimes less is more and you’re fearful and I understand that, but knowing your diagnosis, knowing the drugs that you’re on, knowing their specific functions, knowing what’s in the pipeline for new treatments to come is so important and allows you to feel empowered and a little bit in control of something that’s so out of control. So definitely get to know your diagnosis.

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Understanding a diagnosis is not just something for a patient's care team, the patient needs to understand their diagnosis as well.   

A Metastatic Breast Cancer Thriver Shares the Importance of Understanding Your Diagnosis

After being misdiagnosed with stage 4 estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in 2011, wellness advocate and cancer thriver Stephanie Seban knows firsthand the benefits of getting a second opinion after a cancer diagnosis.

Initial treatment stabilized her disease for four years, but when an aggressive, fast-growing mass was discovered in year five, Seban’s doctors told her there was nothing more they could do. Because Seban “wasn’t ready to just go home and die,” she sought a second opinion and discovered that she was, in fact, HER2-negative.

Educated Patient Breast Cancer Summit, Seban discussed how getting a second opinion saved her life and offered advice to those who may be dealing with a new diagnosis of their own.

For the newly diagnosed, my greatest piece of advice is to always get a second opinion, from day one. Sometimes, when you’re younger, and you’ve never really had much experience or family history, or you don’t know much about cancer. You’re thrust into this world, sink or swim, learning a whole language about cancer and different diagnoses. You’re learning that breast cancer is not just one type of breast cancer.

So, as frightened as you are, and as overwhelmed as you are, it’s always best to get two opinions from the beginning. Maybe the first appointment feels right, but always get the second one to know that the first one felt right.

And sometimes, two oncologists will have two drastically different approaches, so it has to feel right and resonate with you. And if I could take it all back and do it all over again, that’s what I would have done.

Don’t be worried to get a second opinion &mdash; it could save your life.
 

Stephanie Seban

A Metastatic Breast Cancer Thriver Shares the Importance of Understanding Your Diagnosis

Advice to the Newly Diagnosed: Get a Second Opinion

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