Grandmother Lives Beyond Breast Cancer After Helping Advance Treatment Through Clinical Trial

Jennifer Masters is profoundly grateful for her oncologist Jame Abraham, MD, and the team of cancer specialists who guided her through a challenging journey with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.

Explains the 63-year-old grandmother of five from Belfry, Kentucky, “When I was originally diagnosed, I didn’t expect to be here today because my mother died of breast cancer. It’s been quite a long road, but I think it was God’s plan to send me to Dr. Abraham. He’s been amazing.”

Interestingly, Dr. Abraham shares a similar admiration for Jennifer when talking about her bravery and diligence in participating in a clinical trial of a cancer treatment that has given her a second chance at life.

“Jennifer and her husband, John, invested a lot of time and effort, as they had to drive five hours each way to and from Cleveland to see me, every three weeks for two years. It wasn’t easy for her, and I’m grateful they trusted me.” states Dr. Abraham, who was the trial’s principal investigator.

As one of 27 patients at Cleveland Clinic and other institutions to participate in the study, co-authored by Dr. Abraham and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Jennifer played a significant role in confirming the safety and efficacy of neratinib, an oral medication used in conjunction with other established cancer drugs and chemotherapy.

A positive outcome wasn’t on Jennifer’s mind in February 2016, when she first noticed a lump on her left breast. In the midst of preparing her fifth-grade students for end-of-year exams, she waited several months before seeing a doctor.

“I waited, but that was my mindset,” says Jennifer, who has since retired as an elementary school teacher. “I was in my early 20s when my mother died of breast cancer, and all my life I felt like I knew I was going to get it. When I found the lump, I decided to go to the doctor after the school year. I felt, ‘I’m going to die anyway. This is my fate.’ I thought I’d never live to see any grandchildren.”

After receiving a diagnosis of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer, Jennifer underwent rigorous treatment at a nearby hospital. Her regimen included several months of chemotherapy, followed by surgery. While a radiation oncologist prepared her to begin radiation treatment, they discovered the cancer had spread to her chest wall, on the skin near her surgery incision and in some lymph nodes.

“At that point, they no longer wanted to move forward with radiation because they said the cancer would come back,” she recalls.

But an oncologist, who had previously worked with Dr. Abraham, recommended she make an appointment at Cleveland Clinic for a second opinion. Jennifer says it’s one of the best decisions she’s ever made. After examining her, Dr. Abraham informed her she was eligible for the clinical trial.

Soon after, Jennifer began the treatment which consisted of combining antibody drug conjugate T-DM1 every three weeks, and escalating oral doses of the newer drug, neratinib. She had a positive response to this novel combination after the first round. Her chest wall lesions began to disappear. They disappeared completely in three months.

Jennifer faced and overcame challenges. However, for the last several years she continued to take neratinib with only occasional digestive problems.

Now, her visits to Cleveland Clinic are annual. Most importantly, since her cancer has not returned, Jennifer has seen the birth of all five of her grandchildren, all of whom she sees regularly. She volunteers three days per week back at the elementary school where she worked. She explains, “I pretty much do everything I want to do. I’ve been so blessed.”

Since the trial ended, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved neratinib for expanded use in 2020, it remains an effective treatment option for certain patients with HER2+ breast cancer, especially when combined with other cancer medications.

“I look forward to continue living my life, celebrating my family’s milestones and being able to say I have a future,” Jennifer says. “I do believe everything happened for a reason. I felt like maybe my journey helped develop a drug that can change the lives of others. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s certainly been worth it.”