Shannon Knight's Story

What type of breast cancer did I have? I was diagnosed with stage 3 Hormone Receptor-Positive (HR+), HER2-Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) breast cancer that later returned and spread to my bones, lymph nodes, and all lobes of my lungs.

When was I diagnosed? I was first diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2006. In 2010, it returned as stage 4 breast cancer, and I was given a prognosis by UCLA that I had 3-12 months to live.

Did I receive chemotherapy, radiation, hormone blockers or surgery? I underwent a bilateral mastectomy in 2006. After surgery, I developed a staph infection that prevented me from receiving chemotherapy. In 2010, when cancer caused excruciating pain in my sternum and collarbone, I began radiation treatment. I completed 22 radiation sessions before another infection forced treatment to stop. I never received chemotherapy or took hormone blockers.

Where did I receive alternative cancer treatment? I received treatment at CMN Hospital in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico, under the care of Dr. Edgar Payan. When I received treatment in 2010, the hospital did not yet offer its extended treatment program, so I returned for additional treatment. Today, patients receive 28 consecutive days of treatment during a single stay, so there is no need to return for additional treatment as I did.

What treatments did I receive at CMN Hospital?
My treatment plan was personalized by Dr. Edgar Payan based on my diagnosis, medical history, and how I responded to treatment. Because every patient with advanced cancer is different, no two treatment plans are exactly alike. Care is provided in a private inpatient suite with around-the-clock licensed physicians and nurses. Learn more about the therapies offered at CMN Hospital here.

Am I still cancer-free?
Yes. I completed treatment at CMN Hospital in February 2011. In October 2011, my PET scan showed no evidence of disease. I have remained free of any recurrence of breast cancer since then.

Did your twin sister also have breast cancer?
Yes. Five years after my stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis, my fraternal twin sister was diagnosed with the same type of breast cancer. Like me, she did not receive chemotherapy, radiation, or hormone blockers. She was also treated by Dr. Edgar Payan at CMN Hospital. Today, we have both remained free of any recurrence of breast cancer. We later shared our journeys in a candid conversation you can listen to on YouTube: Twin Talk.

How am I doing today? I am grateful to be here. My life today includes my family, my faith, my writing, coaching women, and sharing what I learned with people who need to know that one diagnosis does not erase every possibility.

Sometimes it's easier to hear a story than read it.
If you'd rather listen, you'll find two sincere, transparent conversations below—my interview with Chris Wark, followed by a conversation with my fraternal twin sister about our shared breast cancer journeys.