Follow-Up Errors: Woman’s Story highlights the Long-Term Toll of Breast Cancer Treatment
in Norway, 4,215 women received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2024, and while nine out of ten survive five years after diagnosis, the journey beyond remission can be fraught with challenges. Silje Kibsgaard, a 56-year-old mother of two from Oslo, shares her story of battling breast cancer and navigating the often-overlooked “follow-up errors” – the lasting physical and emotional consequences of treatment.
Five years ago, Kibsgaard’s life was irrevocably altered after discovering a tumor near her right breast. A swift visit to Aleris confirmed her fears: she had breast cancer. “I panicked,” she recalls, speaking to Nettavisen outside her Oslo apartment this October. While her appearance today belies the ordeal she has endured, Kibsgaard vividly remembers the initial shock and fear. “Of course you get scared, and the body goes into a kind of shock,” she says. “But at the same time, you are the mother of two boys who demand their due, and for whom you have to stand up.”
Kibsgaard underwent an aggressive treatment plan, including 16 rounds of chemotherapy, 15 radiation treatments, and a commitment to seven years of aftercare. after 14 chemotherapy treatments, her doctor expressed concern over the damage being inflicted on her body and recommended halting further sessions. While likely the right decision, Kibsgaard admits to feeling stressed and fearful of a potential relapse.
The treatment, while life-saving, has left her with a range of lasting effects, which she terms “follow-up errors.” These include:
- Gradually increasing tendon injuries in the feet.
- Visible tissue damage to the chest.
- Persistent fatigue.
- A breast prosthesis that has fused to her ribs.
Her right breast was surgically removed and replaced with a silicone prosthesis, which, after radiation, became almost wholly fused to her ribs. “There are so many secondary errors in cancer treatment, which could perhaps have been avoided with more tailored treatment,” Kibsgaard reflects. She acknowledges the rapid advancements in cancer research but questions whether a more personalized approach could have minimized some of her long-term complications.
Chemotherapy, while currently the best available treatment, is not without its drawbacks. “Chemotherapy is not ideal, but it is the best we have. But it does a lot of damage to the body, as I have experienced,” she states. The resulting neuropathy has significantly impacted her quality of life, causing balance issues and frequent toe fractures. “It is indeed sad that the balance has become so much worse. I have broken my toes several times. It is terribly painful.”
Kibsgaard’s experience is not isolated. According to Astrid Langeby Kolbekk, chairman of the Norwegian Breast Cancer Association, many patients face challenges extending beyond survival rates. “It is very sad to hear about Silje’s stories,” Kolbekk says. “Many breast cancer patients tell us that they have challenges that go beyond their quality of life. It is known that several breast cancer patients suffer radiation damage, but it is not common for it to have such serious consequences as the prosthesis getting stuck.” Kolbekk also notes that fatigue is a common and debilitating side effect, affecting as many as one in three patients two years after completing treatment.
Today,Kibsgaard works 40-50 percent as an accountant,managing the fatigue and inflammation triggered by stress. Some days, she struggles to get out of bed. Despite these challenges, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining normalcy. She is also undergoing anti-hormonal treatment, as her cancer is hormone-sensitive. This treatment has induced a chemical menopause,bringing with it a new set of challenges.
Kibsgaard has openly shared her cancer journey on social media, hoping to raise awareness and encourage early detection. She believes that education about breast cancer should begin much earlier, with young women learning about self-examination techniques after puberty. Her most crucial advice is direct and urgent: “My mother was too unwell to check herself,and thus discovered the cancer too late. Thus, I am very clear that you should not be afraid of burdening the healthcare system.Check yourself!”
