This is a summary of a story on Duke Health .
Jessica Clarke was pregnant with her second child when she discovered a lump in her breast. It was diagnosed as a malignant phyllodes tumor. Clarke lived in Dallas yet sought a second opinion at Duke Health after a Google search showed her that Duke had a team of experts who specialize in phyllodes tumors.
Duke surgical oncologist Dr. Laura Rosenberger recommended a mastectomy during pregnancy, followed by radiation therapy after delivery.
Facing cancer treatment while preparing to welcome a new baby was overwhelming, but Clarke remained hopeful. She and her family temporarily moved to Durham so she could receive treatment and deliver her baby at Duke. Rosenberger coordinated her care with the maternal-fetal medicine team. Clarke underwent a mastectomy at 32 weeks of pregnancy and delivered a healthy son, Maxwell, four weeks later. Her medical teams then coordinated her radiation therapy.
Beyond medical treatment, Duke provided support for Clarke's emotional well-being and her family's adjustment to an unfamiliar city. She received therapy at no cost and participated in art therapy to help manage the stress of her diagnosis and treatment.
Her family also joined KidsCan!, a support group for children whose parents are undergoing cancer treatment. The program helped their five-year-old son connect with other children in similar situations and gave the family a sense of community while they were far from home.
Physical therapy helped Clarke regain arm mobility and prepare for radiation. After her initial lumpectomy left her nervous about moving her arm, a physical therapist taught her exercises to improve movement and support her recovery after surgery and childbirth.
Clarke also contributed information about her tumor and follow-up care to Duke's tumor registry and biorepository studies, helping researchers better understand this rare disease.
Today, Clarke is back home in Dallas with a good prognosis and a plan for continued monitoring.
"We made it through that," she said. "We'll make it through whatever comes next."
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