Breast cancer survivor: ‘MD Anderson gave me my life back’

When Lucinda Rudolph was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in April 2020 after an annual breast cancer screening, she wasn’t given much hope.

“After looking at my scans, the surgeon told me there was absolutely nothing they could do for me,” says Lucinda. “Surgery wasn’t an option because the cancer had already spread to my heart and ribs, and chemo wouldn’t help. Basically, I had two years to live. My oncologist told me the same thing.”

Lucinda, 68, had been treated for breast cancer 10 years earlier with a lumpectomy and radiation.

This time though, after hearing the prognosis from her doctors, she had given up hope.

But Lucinda’s son, Cory, hadn’t. He began researching the best hospitals for cancer treatment and even took Lucinda to a medical center not too far from their hometown of Louisville, Ky. Ultimately, they decided on MD Anderson.

“I liked MD Anderson a lot better than any other place I’d been,” Lucinda says.  

She was impressed with how quickly she was assigned doctors. This included breast medical oncologist Aman Buzdar, M.D., and breast cancer surgeon Susie Sun, M.D.

Lucinda underwent testing on the first day and received some good news: the cancer had not spread to her heart. She did not have metastatic breast cancer; instead, she was diagnosed with locally advanced recurrent breast cancer.

“I was ecstatic,” she says. “It changed my whole attitude toward how I thought about the cancer. Cory and I were smiling ear to ear, and he told me, ‘See, I told you to get a second opinion from a place that specializes in cancer.’”

MD Anderson develops breast cancer treatment plan

Lucinda’s pathology results revealed that she had invasive lobular carcinoma, which develops in the milk-producing glands of the breast. It is the second most common type of breast cancer. 

“My doctors told me, ‘You’re young, vibrant and active, and we need to get that cancer out of you,’” says Lucinda. “Everyone was so positive, so I said, ‘OK’ and did whatever they told me to do.”

Lucinda’s treatment plan included 16 rounds of chemotherapy, which she completed with a local oncologist in Louisville. She had 12 rounds of paclitaxel followed by four rounds of doxorubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide to shrink her tumors. 

Lucinda completed her chemotherapy in November 2020 and underwent a total mastectomy on Dec. 8, 2020. Sun performed the surgery and plastic surgeon David Adelman, M.D., Ph.D., assisted with the complex wound closure.

Thoracic surgeon Mara Antonoff, M.D., was on standby during the procedure in case she needed to remove the cancer on Lucinda’s ribs.

“After my surgery was over, Dr. Sun came and told me the cancer was not actually on my ribs,” says Lucinda. “It was the most amazing feeling.”

As it turns out, what her original doctors thought was cancer on Lucinda’s ribs and heart was scar tissue from previous radiation she had after her lumpectomy 10 years prior.

Family was always right by her side

Throughout her cancer treatment, Lucinda had the support of her family, friends and coworkers. Cory accompanied her to all of her appointments at MD Anderson before her surgery, and her husband stayed home to care for their dog. Before Lucinda’s most recent checkup at MD Anderson in March, she told her husband she was fine going on her own and he could just stay home.

“As I was walking through security at the Louisville airport before catching my flight, I saw a man who looked familiar,” she says. “I looked closer and realized it was my son! I said, ‘Cory, what are you doing here?’ He replied, ‘You’re not going by yourself. I always go to your appointments.’”

Enjoying a cancer-free life

After surgery, Lucinda started taking the hormone therapy drug exemestane to reduce her chances of breast cancer recurrence. She has neuropathy in her hands, but she receives supportive care to help ease those symptoms.

“That’s a small price to pay for my life,” she says. “I was given a death sentence, but MD Anderson gave me my life back.”

Lucinda returned to her job in the medical field for two-and-a-half years after her surgery before retiring earlier this year. She says she’s never seen a hospital like MD Anderson.

“It’s just a whole different world,” she says. “Not just because of the technology, but because of their positivity. The way they talk to patients and give them hope. I don’t know what they do or how they train their employees, but MD Anderson is different.”

These days, Lucinda enjoys traveling with her husband. Last year, they visited Amsterdam, Germany and Paris. They’re planning to take their granddaughter to Italy soon.

Lucinda returns to MD Anderson every six months for checkups, and she says it feels like visiting an old friend.

“From the greeters at the front door to the receptionists, lab techs, radiologists and physicians, I have not seen that type of caring and kindness anywhere else,” says Lucinda. “I cannot thank Cory enough for doing everything in his power to find the wonderful doctors and amazing cancer care I got at MD Anderson. And I cannot thank my doctors enough for caring and pushing me forward to do everything possible to give me hope.”

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.