MammaPrint Patient Stories

Helen T. Gelhot, M.D.

Three of four sisters diagnosed with breast cancer with no BRCA I or II genes for family breast cancer. As a physician, and a survivor, I had questions. MammaPrint gave the answers.

Back when my sister, Carol and I had breast cancer, gene tests were minimal. With sister Margie’s diagnosis in 2011, I found MammaPrint, a new gene test that tells you if the cancer will spread and which drugs will or won’t help defeat it. MammaPrint tells you the best choices to fight YOUR particular cancer, not just your type of cancer.

‘T’ is my middle initial. Some say it’s for ‘tenacious.’ I research each of my patients’ cases as thoroughly as I did Margie’s. She needed and deserved MammaPrint before her treatment and surgery. I made that happen. I can do the same for you. I treat every patient like a sister, mother or daughter. My sisters helped me succeed in life. Now I can help them and others with breast cancer succeed in living. I was spared for a reason, and MammaPrint is helping me realize my life goal of “Helping as many people as much as possible”.

Helen T. Gelhot, M.D.

Medical Director Private MD, LLC

St. Louis, MO

PrivateMDStL.com

Lisa H.

In the summer of 2008, after camping with my family, I noticed a small lump at the top of my left breast.  I was told it was benign. Six months later the lump had grown and a biopsy was performed.  I was 38 and I had breast cancer.  I decided to have a lumpectomy and as part of that surgery, a biopsy was sent to Agendia for a MammaPrint test.  The results of the test would allow the panel of oncologists treating me to decide the best treatment for my cancer. Two weeks later, my oncologist called to tell me that my results from MammaPrint stated that my cancer was at low-risk for recurrence.  I was able to avoid chemotherapy because the test allowed my oncologist to prescribe a less invasive treatment.  Normally, with someone my age, they would have recommended chemotherapy without knowing the genetics of the tumor.  I felt so lucky and blessed to have that test. It helped me avoid unnecessary treatment.  I went through eight weeks of radiation and will be taking Tamoxifen for five years.  It’s been two and a half years since I found my cancer - one and a half years cancer free.

“I felt so lucky and blessed to have had MammaPrint available to me.  It helped me avoid unnecessary chemotherapy.”  - Lisa H. breast cancer survivor.