A woman attributes her dog with rescuing her life following his peculiar actions that led to a detection of breast cancer. Chase Johnson, aged 36, observed her dog, Cato, a mix of Labrador and retriever, displaying signs of being “anxious” and “whimpering” around her, without understanding the reason behind it.
After a few weeks, Chase recounted that Cato became “agitated” and nudged her left breast with his nose, causing her to feel a lump when it hurt. She promptly sought medical attention, leading to a diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer – a highly aggressive type of cancer.
Subsequently, she underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a lumpectomy, and lymph node removal, all of which were successful. Currently, Chase shows no signs of the disease. An oncologist mentioned to Chase that had she delayed seeking medical help, the outcome might have been fatal.
Chase, who works as an attorney in Cary, North Carolina, USA, described Cato as usually composed and relaxed. However, a few weeks prior to discovering the lump, Cato began acting strangely by following her around, pacing, whimpering, and showing signs of anxiety.
She stated, “We were puzzled by his behavior until one day when he got very worked up and nudged my breast with his nose. The second time he did it, causing discomfort, prompted me to investigate and find the lump. Without his actions, I would have remained unaware.”
Chase revealed that Cato, her constant companion, started displaying signs of anxiety in January 2021, which initially puzzled her. Interestingly, Cato had previously alerted her husband, Ben Byrn, of his colon cancer by exhibiting similar behavior of restlessness and sticking close to him, indicating that something was amiss.
“Cato has always been my faithful companion, and we share a strong bond. We were trying to make sense of his behavior. Given his previous alert to Ben’s cancer, we realized he was signaling a problem, and since my husband had recently received a clean bill of health, we understood it was about me.”
Upon being prodded in the chest by Cato, Chase decided to investigate and discovered a “rubbery lump.” Despite being informed by her primary care provider that she was too young for cancer and given an appointment for May 2021, Chase persisted.
Feeling unsatisfied with the diagnosis, she sought a second opinion from a physician associate at Duke University Hospital, who initially shared the same view of her not being a typical candidate for cancer. However, after hearing about Cato’s previous warning, the physician agreed to conduct a mammogram.
After undergoing various tests, including a mammogram, ultrasound, and a biopsy, Chase received a diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer on February 16, 2021. Her treatment was effective, leading to a complete recovery with no signs of cancer.
Reflecting on her journey, Chase emphasized the importance of advocating for oneself. She shared, “If it weren’t for Cato and our previous experience with my husband, I might not be alive today. Despite being told by experts that I was too young for cancer and that cancer doesn’t cause pain, I received this life-changing diagnosis.”
Currently, Chase is participating in a clinical trial at Cleveland Clinic for a preventive breast cancer vaccine, along with 35 other patients. The Phase I study, in collaboration with Anixa Biosciences, Inc., showed promising results, with 74% of participants exhibiting an immune response to the investigational vaccine, which was deemed safe and well-tolerated.
Dr. G. Thomas Budd, the principal investigator of the study, expressed optimism about the potential of the vaccine strategy, particularly for triple-negative breast cancer, highlighting the advancements in treatment options beyond traditional chemotherapy.
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