YanKay Crystal Lowe: stage 3 breast cancer, starts chemo

YanKay Crystal Lowe, a 44-year-old Canadian actress and director best known for her work on Hallmark Channel projects, revealed Friday that she has been diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal breast cancer and has begun chemotherapy to shrink a large tumor. Lowe said she first noticed a mass in her right breast in February, and after initial imaging showed no abnormality the lump continued to change in size and position until it reached 10 centimeters and her nipple became inverted.

Lowe wrote in a personal essay published Friday that she returned to her doctor when the mass persisted, was rushed into a blind biopsy, and was told three days later by her general practitioner that the results showed invasive carcinoma in one of the ducts. She said she initially believed the cancer was stage 2 but learned in August that it was stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts and extends into surrounding tissue.

Her treatment plan includes chemotherapy, followed by a planned double mastectomy, radiation and eventual reconstruction with implants, Lowe said. She described the experience as physically, emotionally and spiritually challenging....