Breast Cancer Diagnosis At 27: How One Woman’s Outlook Helped Power Her Through Treatment


When Caitlin Bria received her breast cancer diagnosis, it wasn’t a complete shock. With a strong family history of cancer, she knew it was a possibility. However, receiving a diagnosis at the age of 27 shook her world.

“I knew it was in my family because my grandmother passed away from breast cancer, and when I was in high school, a cousin was diagnosed with cancer as well,” Caitlin said. “But the recommendation for a BRCA gene test is at 25, so I didn’t do it then.”

As the years went on, the urgency to have the test lessened. “You never think it’s going to happen to you, so I figured I’ll get around to it.”

Then in late July of 2023, Caitlin was playing with her new puppy on her sofa. When she jumped on Caitlin’s chest, it hurt. “It was painful, but she wasn’t small so I didn’t think anything of it,” she remembered. When it still hurt the next morning, Caitlin decided to visit the Walk-In Center at Long Ridge Road to check it out. There, the doctor did a preliminary exam and recommended that Caitlin make an appointment at Stamford Health’s Breast Center at the Tully Health Center for a biopsy of the area. A few days later she received a phone call revealing that she had stage two breast cancer.


Caitlin Bria with her dog

“After that I was fast-tracked into meetings at the Bennett Cancer Center pretty much every week,” she said. During her initial meetings, Stamford Health’s Director of Medical Oncology Dr. Steve Lo suggested that they test Caitlin for BRCA1 and BRCA2, genetic mutations that indicate an increased risk of developing certain cancers. “He wanted to have the clearest picture of everything going on that we could,” she said. Genetic testing confirmed she was positive for the gene, which introduced a double mastectomy surgery as a consideration.

Dr. Lo also raised the idea of fertility preservation for Caitlin and her husband. “My husband and I weren’t even married a year, but we’d been together for 14 years, so it was an absolute yes from the both of us,” she said. “We did the egg retrieval the week before I started chemo.”

Working with Dr. Lo, they created a plan together of weekly chemo for 12 weeks followed by once every two or three weeks for four treatments. “I tried to keep as much normalcy as possible and worked through all of this,” Caitlin, who is a teacher, recalled. “I would make my appointments on Fridays, so I could go for treatment and then have the weekend to recover so I could be back at work on Monday.”

To help manage the side effects of chemotherapy, Caitlin took advantage of many of the services and therapies offered at the Bennett Cancer Center. For Caitlin, who has “always been all about” her hair, learning about and using the FDA-cleared scalp cooling system was a game-changer.

“In one of the first appointments I brought up my concern about losing my hair, and Dr. Lo told me about cold caps and how they might help,” she said. While she received treatment at the infusion center, Caitlin also cold-capped, which helped keep her hair until the last few sessions of chemo. “It helped maintain a sense of stability for me and for my students,” she said. “I’m in front of them every day and that way they didn’t have to see too much change in me as I was going through it.”

She supplemented the traditional treatment with the integrative medicine therapies at Stamford Health. Caitlin had massage therapy and Reiki reflexology sessions. “As a breast cancer patient you’re given a lot of warnings of things you can’t do, but it was nice how the hospital offered alternative medicines to help you feel better while you’re going through it.”

A few months after finishing treatment, Caitlin had a double mastectomy performed by Dr. Swapna Ghanta, a breast surgeon at Stamford Health. “Knowing that I am BRCA positive, my best chance at longevity is to get rid of the possibility of it coming back,” she said of her choice over a lumpectomy. “So it was a hard conversation to have, but it was an easy decision to make.” After her recovery from that surgery, she then worked with Dr. Greenspun for her implant surgery.

Now, she’s looking forward to her routine. “It’s kind of back to as normal as possible,” said Caitlin. She went on vacation and then returned to working full-time, noting that “it’s a lot less doctor’s appointments now.”

Reflecting on her treatment, Caitlin said her biggest takeaway is setting the right mindset. “Having a positive attitude and being able to see the bright side of things is a big part of it,” she said. “You’re going to cry; you’re going to be upset; it’s going to hurt. But at the end of the day, the tears don’t do anything for your healing. You just have to push through and be the best you can be throughout it.”


We believe every patient deserves thoughtful, compassionate care backed by an extraordinary team of professionals - and that's what you can expect at the Bennet Cancer Center. We offer patients a superior level of clinical care with access to world-class physicians, skilled nurses, and the latest in treatment options and supportive services. All of these resources are accessible and convenient, allowing patients the comfort of being treated closer to home.

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