A Wake-Up Call About Mammograms: At 31, She Didn’t Expect Breast Cancer
5 min. read
Baptist Health Cancer Care
When Lisa Salvaggio felt persistent breast pain at the age of 31, cancer wasn’t the first thing on her mind. Like many young women, she considered herself healthy, active, and far from the age when breast cancer becomes a real concern.
But her experience would ultimately underscore a critical truth. Breast cancer doesn’t always follow expectations, and early detection can change everything.
“Leading up to my diagnosis, I was healthy but having breast pain for a couple of months,” Ms. Salvaggio recalls. “I have a strong family history of breast cancer so this was a concern of mine. But, I didn’t think it would be a possibility in my early 30s.”
Ms. Salvaggio lives in Tamarac, Florida, surrounded by the tight-knit family that has supported her through one of the most challenging chapters of her life.
Between caring for her 96-year-old grandfather and running her jewelry business, Ms. Salvaggio’s life was full — until an unexpected diagnosis changed her trajectory.
A Routine Check That Wasn’t So Routine
Ms. Salvaggio’s journey began with a doctor’s visit for breast pain. Her physician didn’t feel any lumps during the exam, but made a decision that would prove vital. “My routine doctor did a breast exam and although she didn’t feel any lumps, she decided to send me for my first mammogram and ultrasound at age 31,” Ms. Salvaggio explains.
That decision highlights a critical point in breast health: symptoms, family history, and clinical judgment often guide screening — not just age alone.
While the pain Ms. Salvaggio experienced turned out to be caused by a cyst, imaging revealed something far more serious. “During the imaging they also found microcalcifications which turned out to be DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ) breast cancer,” she says.
DCIS is considered a non-invasive or early-stage breast cancer. It often has no symptoms and is most commonly detected through mammograms—making imaging a vital tool in catching cancer before it spreads.
The Power of Early Detection
Ms. Salvaggio’s diagnosis at a crucial time before the cancer had progressed. Her case is a powerful reminder that mammograms are not just for women over 40. For those with symptoms or a strong family history, earlier screening can be essential.
“I am very close with my family,” she says. “In fact, I live next door to my mom and my grandfather lives down the block.”
A Team That Makes a Difference
From the moment Ms. Salvaggio met her care team, she knew she was in the right place. She first met with Kerry-Ann McDonald, M.D., breast surgical oncologist with Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health.
“As soon as I met her I knew that I wanted her to be my surgeon,” Ms. Salvaggio says of Dr. McDonald. “She comforted me and went through my reports and explained everything in a way that I could understand.”
That clarity and compassion became a cornerstone of Ms. Salvaggio’s experience.
“I will never forget that Dr. McDonald called me with my MRI results the same day as the MRI,” she says. “It was only a few hours later.”
The MRI revealed a more extensive presence of DCIS than initially expected, leading to a recommendation for surgery. “I ultimately had a double mastectomy with reconstruction — expanders to implants,” Ms. Salvaggio shares.
Baptist Health offers comprehensive breast health services, Dr. McDonald emphasizes.
“We have patient navigators to guide you through next steps after an abnormal finding,” said Dr. McDonald. “We have state-of-the-art imaging services, including contrast mammogram and artificial intelligence. We have an expert multidisciplinary breast cancer team for coordinated care and treatment if needed. We have one-of-a-kind support services that provide comprehensive care beyond treatment.”
Navigating Reconstruction and Recovery
For many breast cancer patients, treatment doesn’t end with removing cancer. It also includes rebuilding both physically and emotionally.
Ms. Salvaggio’s next step involved meeting with Ivo A. Pestana, M.D., plastic and reconstructive surgeon with Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health.
“My consultation with Dr. Pestana was over an hour long,” she says. “He took his time and explained the process … I appreciated him thoroughly explaining everything and answering all of my questions.”
Despite undergoing two surgeries, Ms. Salvaggio’s journey wasn’t over.
“After having two separate surgeries, I still had positive margins for breast cancer,” she says.
“Positive margins” means that some cancer cells remain, requiring additional treatment — another moment where early detection and comprehensive care proved critical.
Radiation: The Final Step in Treatment
Ms. Salvaggio was then referred to Youssef Zeidan, M.D., a radiation oncologist with Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health, who guided her through the next phase of treatment.
“At that point I met with Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Youssef Zeidan and had 15 sessions of radiation treatment,” she explains.
While radiation can be physically and emotionally taxing, Ms. Salvaggio found strength in the people around her.
“The team that administered the radiation was incredible,” she says. “They had such a positive energy every day and they always made me feel at ease and comfortable.”
Life After Diagnosis
Today, Ms. Salvaggio is recovering well, though her journey continues.
“I have another surgery scheduled… for the final step in my reconstruction process—implant exchange surgery,” she says.
Her follow-up care now includes annual MRIs, ensuring ongoing vigilance. “Now that I have a history with breast cancer I will have an MRI yearly,” she explains.
Beyond her medical journey, Ms. Salvaggio has found a new sense of purpose—channeling her experience into her jewelry business.
“I am in the process of designing symbolic breast cancer jewelry for people who had/have breast cancer,” she says.
It’s a meaningful way to connect with others facing similar challenges and to raise awareness.
Why Mammograms Matter at Any Age
Ms. Salvaggio’s story carries a message that extends far beyond her personal experience: don’t ignore changes in your body, and don’t assume you’re too young for breast cancer.
Mammograms remain the gold standard for detecting breast cancer early, often before symptoms appear. In Ms. Salvaggio’s case, they identified cancer that a physical exam could not.
Her story also highlights the importance of advocating for your health, especially if you have risk factors like family history.
“It is extremely important to have doctors and a team that truly care about your wellbeing and work together,” Ms. Salvaggio emphasizes. “This is exactly what I had, and continue to have, at Lynn Cancer Institute at Baptist Health.”
Visit BaptistHealth.net/Mammo to learn more or call 786-573-6000 to schedule your appointment today.
Featured Providers
Kerry-Ann Camille McDonald, MD
Kerry-Ann McDonald, M.D., is a breast surgical oncologist at the Baptist Health Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute and Baptist Health Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute. Dr. McDonald specializes in benign and malignant breast disease, nipple-sparing surgery, breast-conserving surgical therapies with a focus on the hidden scar technique, and sentinel lymph node surgery with tailored treatment of the axilla. She also uses MarginProbe technology in nearly every lumpectomy surgery. This tool detects cancerous cells at the edges of the surgical specimen, decreasing the need for additional surgeries. Dr. McDonald joined the Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute after completing a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York.She currently serves on the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine faculty at Florida Atlantic University, where she mentors surgical residents and medical students. Dr. McDonald is also active in the community and has given many lectures on breast cancer and breast surgery to increase awareness of the disease, particularly in minority communities.Dr. McDonald’s research has been published in several peer-reviewed publications, including the Annals of Surgical Oncology, Journal of Vascular Surgery and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. She has also co-written chapters in the medical textbooks Success in Academic Surgery: Basic Science and Preventive Oncology for the Gynecologist.Dr. McDonald takes a personalized, comprehensive approach to patient care. She chose breast cancer surgery because it is a field with a strong continuity of care. Dr. McDonald typically follows patients for at least five years following their surgery and enjoys developing a relationship with each woman she treats. When she is not treating patients, Dr. McDonald enjoys exercising, hiking and spending time with family.
Ivo Alexander Pestana, MD
Ivo Alexander Pestana, M.D., FACS, FAAPS, is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the Eugene M. and Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health, at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. He specializes in general plastic surgery, complex reconstructive procedures and microneurovascular surgery. His clinical interests include reconstructive and cosmetic breast and body surgery.
Prior to joining Lynn Cancer Institute, Dr. Pestana served as professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Dr. Pestana earned his medical degree at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He completed a surgical residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital and a plastic surgery residency at Duke University Medical Center. His training included a transplantation and immunology research fellowship as well as a trauma research fellowship at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He also completed a hand and microsurgery fellowship at Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery.
Dr. Pestana is certified by American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is a fellow of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, fellow of the American College of Surgeons and member of several other professional organizations. He serves as a reviewer for the Annals of Surgical Oncology and the Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery. His work in plastic and reconstructive surgery is widely published in peer-reviewed medical journals.
During his career, Dr. Pestana has been named to such prestigious lists as Best Doctors in America and America’s Top Surgeons. He participated in the description and implementation of the imaging technique termed fluorescent angiography in the field of plastic surgery, which has proven to be an important advancement in the clinical assessment of microvascular anastomoses and tissue perfusion.
Dr. Pestana’s goal is to provide patient-centered, safe, cutting edge reconstructive and cosmetic surgery in a caring and sensitive manner, he says. He is committed to ensuring patients feel heard and are aware of and understand all options available to them when considering plastic surgery.
Dr. Pestana is fluent in both English and Spanish. Outside of his professional endeavors, he enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors playing tennis, running, swimming and boating.
Youssef Zeidan, MD
Compassionate, Expert Cancer Care at Baptist Health
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