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R&B Singer Shanice Says She Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer After Skipping Mammogram For 8 Years

R&B singer Shanice is sharing new details of her breast cancer journey, revealing she was diagnosed with the disease after avoiding mammograms for nearly a decade.

"I just want to tell women how important it is to get your mammograms," Shanice said Wednesday on "Good Morning America," adding, "If I would have gone sooner, I could have caught [my breast cancer diagnosis] when it was just at stage zero."

The "I Love Your Smile" singer said she had a health scare in her mid-40s when doctors thought she had a cancerous lump in her breast.

Doctors determined the lump was a cyst that didn't require further testing, but Shanice, now 51, said the scare deterred her from getting screened annually for breast cancer.

"Because of the fear that I had when they thought they saw something, I didn't go for eight years," Shanice said, adding that she has dense breast tissue which can make it more difficult to detect breast cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Shanice speaks out about her breast cancer journey on "Good Morning America" on Oct. 30, 2024.

ABC News

Earlier this year, in March, Shanice said she felt a lump in her breast that prompted her to return to her doctor for a mammogram.

The mammogram and a subsequent ultrasound showed cancer, according to Shanice.

At 34, I was nervous about my breast cancer risk. Here's what I did

Though doctors originally thought she had ductal carcinoma in situ -- when cancer cells are only in the lining of the milk ducts and have not spread to other parts of the breast -- Shanice said she opted for a double mastectomy.

After undergoing the surgery in May, Shanice said she was told by doctors that she had a stage 1, one-centimeter tumor in her breast.

"When I had my surgery and they told me I had cancer, I literally lost my smile," Shanice said. "But I wanted to come on the show to encourage women that you have to keep smiling. I got my smile back."

I had a preventative double mastectomy at 32, and no, I don't have the BRCA gene

Starting at age 40, it is recommended that women at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years, until age 74, according to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. Ultrasounds are not typically used in routine screening but are recommended by physicians in certain cases.

Women should notify their medical provider if they notice any new lumps, skin changes, and nipple changes, including unusual discharge, pain, and redness.

Even if the last mammogram is clear, women should discuss any changes with a healthcare provider.

What Is A Mammogram? When Should You Get The Exam? Experts Weigh In On Breast Cancer Screening

At 63, Louise Bajorek discovered a family member carried the BRCA gene mutation and quickly made an appointment for genetic testing. She remembers feeling a flood of relief when the results came back negative.

She thought she was in the clear because she didn't inherit the harmful mutation that increases the risk of several cancers, notably breast.

Days later, however, Bajorek underwent a scheduled mammogram, and the images showed an area of concern, prompting further testing. After an ultrasound that same day, there still wasn't a definitive answer. The radiologist ordered a biopsy.

A week later, the findings revealed the unexpected — Stage 1 breast cancer.

The next month and a half would be a series of treatments: a lumpectomy and 15 radiation sessions. She has been cancer-free the past two years.

"There were a myriad of emotions," said Bajorek, of southwest suburban Burbank. "I was numb and terrified at the same time."

Yet, she also felt grateful.

Bajorek, now 65, credits diligent annual mammograms since age 30 for discovering her cancer early. Since her 2022 diagnosis, she has traded fear for courage: "I've never appreciated life more and have been more of an advocate for early detection."

In Illinois, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, according to the state's Department of Public Health, making mammograms important tools in finding early signs of cancer.

Yet some women aren't getting the potentially lifesaving exam. In 2022, about 1 in 4 women ages 50 to 74 years had not received a mammogram in the last two years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control Prevention.

While Breast Cancer Awareness Month is winding down, and with 1 in 8 U.S. Women having a chance of developing breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, this conversation is an important one year-round. Here's what else the experts want you to know — whether it's your first mammogram or you're preparing for the next one.

What is a mammogram?

Mammograms, which are X-ray exams of the breast, "are the gold standard for screening," according to Dr. Shikha Jain, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Cancer Center and founder of the nonprofit Women in Medicine.

Depending on the patient, ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging are also screening options, she said. Doctors may also perform clinical breast exams during annual physicals. However, clinical and breast self-exams are no longer recommended as a screening tool by the American Cancer Society.

"Mammograms are the gold standard for screening," according to Dr. Shikha Jain, a tenured associate professor at the University of Illinois Cancer Center and founder of the nonprofit Women in Medicine.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times file

"Self-exams haven't been found to impact or reduce breast cancer deaths; they're often inaccurate and can lead to unnecessary procedures or biopsies — and anxiety. A lot of times, women who do these self-exams may feel like, 'Oh, I did a self-exam. I didn't feel anything. So I don't need to get a mammogram,'" Jain said.

When should you first get a mammogram?

Every woman should be getting an annual screening mammogram at age 40, based on the recommendations of the American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging, or sooner, depending on risk factors like a family history of cancer or someone in a high-risk group, such as Black or Ashkenazi Jewish women, said Dr. Sonya Bhole, director and physician lead of ambulatory breast imaging at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Evanston.

But recently, there has been a rise in younger women developing cancer. Because most women don't begin regular breast cancer screening until they're 40, younger women are also being diagnosed with later-stage tumors when the disease is more aggressive and more challenging to treat, according to a study published this year by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

What is the difference between a screening mammogram and a diagnostic mammogram?

A screening mammogram is used to detect cancer in people who don't have any symptoms, Jain said, while a diagnostic mammogram evaluates something potentially suspicious. "There's already a concern for an abnormality," she said. Another difference is a diagnostic may take more images and typically focuses on the area of concern.

Added Bhole: "You get the results the same day."

Why do some women skip mammograms?

A fear of the unknown — especially about results — is a top concern Bhole hears from women about skipping a mammogram.

Chris Joyce, 58, is one of them.

"Until I get that letter that it's negative, you have that apprehension," said Joyce, who lives in western suburban La Grange Park.

Despite the underlying worry, she gets checked annually. She also eases her anxiety by taking time off on appointment days to do fun activities like shopping, going to the movies or getting her nails done. "It is my reward for going," she said.

Still, factors such as cost, accessibility and time to prioritize their own health also play a role, Jain said. Women often juggle job responsibilities, manage the household and care for children or aging parents as part of the sandwich generation, she said.

Plus, not everyone lives in areas where it's accessible to get a mammogram, and it can become expensive if additional testing is needed, Jain said. "After a screening mammogram, for example, you may need an ultrasound or MRI based on your breast tissue or what they find. Oftentimes, those become difficult to get covered with some insurance companies."

Are mammograms painful?

For Jain, the most common questions she's asked about breast exams and screenings are:

Is it painful?

Is it necessary?

"Yes, it's definitely uncomfortable to get the mammogram. I tell patients it's not only a potentially lifesaving imaging that you will be getting, but it could also detect cancers before they even become cancers."

Mammograms entail flattening and compressing the breasts between two plastic plates so X-rays can be captured. That part of the procedure, which takes seconds, can be uncomfortable or even painful, especially if multiple X-rays need to be taken. In general, mammograms typically take about 15 minutes.

I have dense breasts. Should I be worried?

Density doesn't refer to breast size. Instead, Jain said it means there is more connective and glandular tissue than fatty tissue. Because dense breast tissue and breast masses and cancer can also look white on a mammogram, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two, she said. "That's why often women with dense breasts need to do extra screening tests like ultrasounds and MRIs," Jain said.

What are the signs of breast cancer?

Many people have heard that a breast lump could signal breast cancer. But there are other, lesser-known potential warning signs. "Any sort of skin changes like dimpling of your skin or nipple discharge are some of the ways it can present," Bhole said.

Jain noted skin color changes on the breast, unintentional weight loss, overall fatigue or a lump or growth in the armpit area may be symptoms as well. She describes a condition called "peau d'orange," where the breast starts looking a bit like an orange peels.

Should you worry if called back for an ultrasound after a mammogram?

Getting a callback after a mammogram doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer; there's just something that they want to look into further, Jain said. She advises to her patients: "Don't worry until there's definitively something to worry about."

UofL Mammogram Technician Shares Her Breast Cancer Survival Story

Imagine dedicating your career to helping women as a mammogram technician and then years later fighting the same fight as some of your patients yourself. That's Tammy Whitt's story."My best friend's mother has had breast cancer," said Whitt. "As her mom became diagnosed with breast cancer I just really felt like my calling was something more than just X-rays so I just felt like I needed to do something more and mammography felt like it should be my next step." "It led to a biopsy. Which led to a diagnosis of Ductal carcinoma in situ which is a very early stage," said Whitt. After her own diagnosis and treatment in 2023, she's driven by her personal experience to make a difference one mammogram at a time. "I believe that when you yourself know how to interact with others through personal experiences that just brings you a whole new outlook on how to interact with others," said Whitt. Whitt said she emphasizes the importance of getting an annual mammogram because that is how she got her early detection."It's very, very important just to continue getting your annual mammograms even with no family history," said Whitt. UofL Medical Oncology Dr. Brian Dong agrees. "Last year alone, there were over 300,000 new diagnoses and if you add on stage 0 breast cancers that's another 40 to 50,000. So the numbers show one in eight women are going to get breast cancer in the United States regardless of other risk factors like family history or genetic testing. So, it's so important that everyone gets their mammogram," said Dong. As Whitt steps into the doors of the Brown Cancer Center each day, she's offering hope, awareness, and a connection for those fighting the same battle she once was."I'm able to just give them so much more information and knowledge now and compassion in a new way and new light that I wasn't able to provide to them prior to a year ago," said Whitt.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Imagine dedicating your career to helping women as a mammogram technician and then years later fighting the same fight as some of your patients yourself. That's Tammy Whitt's story.

"My best friend's mother has had breast cancer," said Whitt. "As her mom became diagnosed with breast cancer I just really felt like my calling was something more than just X-rays so I just felt like I needed to do something more and mammography felt like it should be my next step."

"It led to a biopsy. Which led to a diagnosis of Ductal carcinoma in situ which is a very early stage," said Whitt.

After her own diagnosis and treatment in 2023, she's driven by her personal experience to make a difference one mammogram at a time.

"I believe that when you yourself know how to interact with others through personal experiences that just brings you a whole new outlook on how to interact with others," said Whitt.

Whitt said she emphasizes the importance of getting an annual mammogram because that is how she got her early detection.

"It's very, very important just to continue getting your annual mammograms even with no family history," said Whitt.

UofL Medical Oncology Dr. Brian Dong agrees.

"Last year alone, there were over 300,000 new diagnoses and if you add on stage 0 breast cancers that's another 40 to 50,000. So the numbers show one in eight women are going to get breast cancer in the United States regardless of other risk factors like family history or genetic testing. So, it's so important that everyone gets their mammogram," said Dong.

As Whitt steps into the doors of the Brown Cancer Center each day, she's offering hope, awareness, and a connection for those fighting the same battle she once was.

"I'm able to just give them so much more information and knowledge now and compassion in a new way and new light that I wasn't able to provide to them prior to a year ago," said Whitt.

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