Howland nurse battles rare form of breast cancer, pushes for awareness

A local nurse is turning her own breast cancer diagnosis into a mission to help other women recognize the signs of a rare and aggressive disease.

Earlier this year, Anna Rager, 49, was diagnosed with stage IV inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Unlike more common forms of breast cancer, IBC doesn’t always appear as a lump. Instead, symptoms can include swelling, redness, skin thickening and an inverted nipple.

“Well, one Saturday morning, I was doing my usual cleaning, went to go get in the shower and just getting dressed, and I looked down, and I'm like, well, this doesn't look right,” Rager recalled.

At first, doctors misdiagnosed her with mastitis, an infection. But when her symptoms didn’t improve, she continued to push for more tests. A biopsy and scans eventually confirmed IBC.

“I was diagnosed with mastitis, which is a common misdiagnosis for inflammatory breast cancer… I just had a feeling something was wrong,” she said.

Rager, who works as a nurse at St. Joseph Warren Hospital, said even with her medical background she had never heard of IBC until her own diagnosis. That, she said, is why education is now just as important to her as treatment.

“Until I was diagnosed with it, I had never heard of inflammatory breast cancer. And that's why it's so important to me to try to educate more women about this,” Rager said. “If I hadn't advocated for myself, I might not even be here.”

She encourages women to trust their instincts and not be afraid to question doctors if something doesn’t feel right.

“You know your body better than anybody else. If something feels wrong, keep pushing. Don't feel bad about it. It's your life. So keep pushing,” she said.

Support from family and friends has carried her through. “My daughters, my husband, my granddaughter, my grandson on the way… they're what keeps me going every single day,” Rager said.

After receiving care at the Cleveland Clinic, Rager traveled to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where specialists confirmed a complete metabolic response to treatment — something she described as rare with IBC. She will return for surgery and radiation later this fall.

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaches, Rager hopes her story encourages women to advocate for themselves and learn about IBC, which accounts for only 2 to 4 percent of all breast cancers.

“This is life changing,” she said. “My life will never be the same, regardless of the outcome, but if my story can help even one person, then that means something.”