PUYALLUP, Wash. – Jaclyn Escalera, a wife and mother of two, is rediscovering the simple things in life that bring her joy.
“The first time driving my kids back to school again, I was like this is a gift to get to do this because there was a while where I couldn’t,” said Jaclyn.
Not long after the Escalera Family moved into their home in Puyallup, Jaclyn said she sensed something was off about her health. She was constantly tired and couldn’t shake it.
“I was in the shower, and I just noticed it actually wasn’t a lump for me. It just felt like a strange, firm line. And I just felt like this is probably just a cyst or something. But I should definitely talk to my doctor and get it checked out,” said Jaclyn.
In July 2024, at just 38 years old, she was diagnosed with both invasive lobular and invasive ductal breast cancer, a rare combination that accounts for only 5% of all breast cancer cases.
Invasive lobular carcinoma is a form of cancer that is typically found among patients who are post-menopausal women in their 70s.
“The problem with lobular carcinoma is that it doesn’t form that mass. It infiltrates in the tissue. So, it can be more subtle where it’s harder to feel. And even on imaging studies, like a mammogram, sometimes it doesn’t show up,” said Morgan Steele, a nurse practitioner with MultiCare Cancer Institute at Tacoma General Hospital.
The diagnosis came as a shock to Jaclyn, not only because of her age, but because cancer does not run in her family. She said there were no indicators of cancer in her genetic testing.
“How do I take care of my kids through this? How do I share this information with my kids and with my family?” Jaclyn asked.
As a design manager in MultiCare’s Marketing & Communications department, Jaclyn knew exactly where to turn for answers about women like her with this rare condition.
“They do not have a mutation that explains why they got breast cancer. So, we really can’t explain why more women are getting breast cancer, but we can say that it is a fact that it’s happening to more young women,” said Steele.
The nurse practitioner was one of many healthcare providers who Jaclyn credits as a critical part of her journey. Steele said it was Jaclyn’s early detection that helped save her life.
“The longer things are untreated, the more likely it’s going to spread to your lymph nodes because that’s the most common place that breast cancer spreads. So, if we diagnose women, and it’s just in their breast and hasn’t spread anywhere, then the overall survival is high,” said Steele.
Jaclyn’s providers started her treatment with a double mastectomy in September 2024, followed by another surgery, 16 rounds of chemotherapy over five months, and 28 rounds of radiation.
“I like to think that the day that I had surgery was my cancer-free day. That was the day that everything was taken. And that’s the day that my family and I celebrate as being cancer free,” said Jaclyn.
Becoming cancer free all started for Jaclyn with a simple self-check at home. Her care team is encouraging more women to do the same.
“It’s not that you have to do an exam a certain way or a certain time of the month. It’s more about knowing what’s normal for you. So, look in the mirror, what shape? What size? And then, when you’re in the shower or the tub, just become familiar with what your breasts feel like,” said Steele. “If you become familiar with what’s normal for you, you will know if something develops.”
Health professionals said 40 is the average age for women to start screening for breast cancer, including receiving a mammogram. For those who have a family history of breast cancer, doctors urge women to start screening at an earlier age.
“There’s a lot of fear around breast cancer. But even if you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, you most likely will not die from breast cancer. You will be treated, and then live the rest of your life,” said Steele.
“There are so many treatments now. We can catch it early, and we can keep people alive and thriving,” said Jaclyn.
She is continuing treatments and appointments to ensure the cancer doesn’t reoccur. Jaclyn said she has an immense amount of gratitude for her family and community for stepping in when she needed help. She also thanked her care team for their encouragement and professionalism throughout the process.
“I can look back now and say it was a blessing even though it was a really hard year,” said Jaclyn.
Now that she’s one year cancer-free, Jaclyn is sharing her survival story in hopes of helping to save others.
“It is hard. It is not an easy journey by any means. I don’t want to paint that picture, but there is hope,” said Jaclyn. “I’ve been to that brink where you’re just like I don’t know if I can take anymore, but you just keep going, and you get through it, and you get to the other side, and it does get better.”
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The Source: Information in this story came from MultiCare Cancer Institute and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.
