Tell us about you and how you got to where you are:

I’m Dr. Lacey Stelle, Breast Program Director at UW Health Northern Illinois. I am an Illinois-native, born and raised in Bloomington/Normal, Illinois. I attended University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign for my undergraduate degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, followed by Medical School at Southern Illinois University. I went to St Louis University for General Surgery Internship, followed by General Surgery Residency at Carle Hospital in Urbana, Illinois. I completed my training with a fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology in Annapolis, Maryland. I knew I wanted to be a doctor from a very young age, but it wasn’t until college when I shadowed several surgeons that I realized that surgery was the right choice for me. I had several surgical interests throughout my years of training, but ultimately, it was my father’s battle with cancer that led me to Breast Surgical Oncology as my specialty. Breast cancer is a field that undergoes constant change through advances in research, which I find to be very intriguing and challenging. Because the disease usually requires multi-modal treatment, I get to interact with other specialists on a regular basis – and this adds another dimension to my career as well. Finally, the relationships that I am fortunate enough to develop with my patients is unique and long-lasting, and this is the ultimate reward for me.

Tell us about the Breast Program at UW Health and what makes it unique:

Our Breast Program is comprehensive, which means that we offer all necessary aspects of treatment and support services within our system. Our NAPBC accreditation proves that we are committed to providing high-quality breast care to all of our patients. By being part of the UW Health system, this allows us to provide additional services that we would not have otherwise been able to offer.

What are some common misconceptions about breast cancer (family history, self exams, breast size, etc)

One common misconception I hear a lot is: “no one in my family had breast cancer, so I won’t get it” – which is completely false. One out of 8 women will get breast cancer and many of those women will have no known family members with any cancer. Another false statement is regarding the accuracy of monthly self-breast exams. Most breast cancers are actually found on screening mammogram, as opposed to being “felt” by the patient or their provider. And this is what we want – to find them very early, when they are very small, and only detectable on imaging. We instead promote “breast awareness” – which encourages women to be aware of their body and alert their provider for any changes that they notice.

What are the most common symptoms?

The most common symptom of breast cancer is no symptom at all – but rather an abnormal screening mammogram; however, if there are any symptoms at all, it may be a “lump” that is felt, an indentation on the breast, changes to her nipple shape/appearance, bloody nipple discharge, or skin changes on the breast/nipple.

What are the most common risk factors?

Here are the risk factors that increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer the most: atypical breast biopsy, certain pathogenic genetic mutations (BRCA1/2, CHEK2, PALB2, etc), 2 or more 1st degree relatives with breast cancer, high-dose radiation to the chest (particularly at young ages), and mammographically dense breasts. A couple others that do not carry as high of a risk, but are actually very common include regular/high quantity alcohol consumption and obesity/physical inactivity.

What are some preventative measures you can take when it comes to breast cancer?

Being aware of your breasts, discussing your mammogram recommendations with your provider, and trying to live a healthy lifestyle through weight control and regular exercise are the best things you can do to either lower your risk for getting breast cancer or at least find it as early as possible.

Learn more about Pink Month with UW Health HERE