How DCISionRT Helped a Cancer Survivor Avoid Over-Treatment

When Alexia Vernon, a Las Vegas-based professional speaker and CEO of the communication and leadership development company, Step into Your Moxie, received a diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in November 2024, she entered a season of complex treatment decisions and emotional uncertainty.

Having already survived thyroid cancer, Alexia approached this diagnosis with a deep understanding of how important it is to balance effective treatment with quality of life.

“During my thyroid cancer journey — my first serious diagnosis — I learned how important it is to clarify your health values and goals for your treatment,”

— Alexia says.

Understanding DCIS

Each year, more than 50,000 women are diagnosed with DCIS, a non-invasive form of breast cancer. Although DCIS remains confined to the milk ducts and cannot spread beyond the breast, treatment is still necessary because some DCIS cells can eventually develop into invasive breast cancer.

For many women, treatment begins with breast-conserving surgery (BCS), also known as a lumpectomy. After surgery, one of the next major decisions involves whether radiation therapy is needed.

Traditionally, this recommendation has been based on clinical factors such as:

• Age
• Tumor grade
• Tumor size
• Margin status

However, recent scientific studies have shown that clinical factors alone may not always identify which patients can safely avoid radiation therapy after surgery.

While radiation therapy can significantly reduce recurrence risk for some women, others with low-risk DCIS may receive little benefit while still being exposed to side effects and long-term impacts. On the other hand, women with higher-risk disease may benefit greatly from radiation as part of their treatment plan.

Searching for a Middle Path

For Alexia, imaging revealed architectural distortion in her left breast. After multiple procedures and an initial diagnosis of atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), additional surgery ultimately revealed low-grade DCIS.

The diagnosis arrived during another physically demanding chapter of her life, as she was also recovering from vocal cord surgery.

As Alexia researched treatment options online, she found herself overwhelmed by stories centered around aggressive treatment plans.

“During my journey, it was tricky to find anybody sharing a story like mine,” Alexia says. “Almost every DCIS narrative I read included a bilateral mastectomy, radiation and/or endocrine therapy. Almost nobody’s treatment plan was just surgery. I yearned for examples of a middle path.”

The Test That Changed Her Treatment Plan

A major turning point in Alexia’s journey came when she learned about DCISionRT — the only risk assessment test designed for patients with DCIS that predicts potential radiation therapy benefit.

At the time, Alexia was worried about how additional treatment might impact both her personal life and her business. Radiation therapy also raised concerns about potential effects on her already fragile vocal cords.

“When I first learned I had DCIS, I was overwhelmed by the possibility of needing to take more time off from running my business, and I worried that if radiation were warranted, it might damage my already fragile vocal cords,” Alexia says. “My DCISionRT results showed me that my treatment could be complete after surgery. I felt like I won the lottery!”

Alexia’s DCISionRT results showed she had only a 3–5% chance of DCIS or invasive breast cancer recurrence over 10 years with breast-conserving surgery alone.

For Alexia, this meant:

• No radiation
• No endocrine therapy
• No mastectomy

By analyzing the individual biology of a patient’s tumor, DCISionRT helps doctors and patients make more personalized treatment decisions based on recurrence risk and potential benefit from radiation therapy.

For women identified as low-risk, the test may provide reassurance about safely avoiding more aggressive treatment while still maintaining a high likelihood of a cancer-free future.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Today, Alexia feels empowered by the clarity the test provided and grateful for the opportunity to move forward without more aggressive treatment.

“I feel confident knowing my recurrence risk is very low,” Alexia says. “The results of this test saved me from what could have been over-treatment of my DCIS. I can move forward with my life and continue my work while maintaining appropriate monitoring.”

Her experience has also influenced her professional mission.

Building on her existing work with healthcare and life sciences organizations, Alexia is now expanding Step into Your Moxie’s services by incorporating narrative medicine and patient-centered communication into training programs that help clinicians navigate high-stakes conversations and deepen trust with patients.

Alexia also recognizes how fortunate she was to have a care team that supported personalized decision-making.

“I had an amazing oncological surgeon, Dr. Janie Grumley, at Providence’s Margie Petersen Breast Center, who automatically sent my pathology from an excisional biopsy to PreludeDx,” Alexia says. “Too many people I connected with on my journey were not so lucky. I want to ensure other people diagnosed with DCIS can also find the sweet spot between over- and under-treatment. Tools like DCISionRT help make that possible.”

A Message from Learn Look Locate

At Learn Look Locate, we believe every breast cancer journey deserves personalized care, thoughtful conversations, and access to information that empowers patients to make informed decisions.

Alexia’s story highlights the importance of understanding all available options and finding a treatment path that aligns with both medical needs and personal values. Her experience serves as a reminder that breast cancer care is not one-size-fits-all — and that knowledge can help patients move forward with greater clarity and confidence.