Mercy's Dr. Sandy Kotiah, Medical Oncology/Hematology, Discusses Cancer Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

If you notice something different about your body, get it checked out.

It sounds obvious, but doctors say sometimes those things patients dismiss can be the sign of something more serious. Your body has a way of telling you something is wrong, and it's important to pay attention, doctors say.

Amber Herauf knows this all too well. She said it's hard to believe what she has been through over the past year.

"I had found a lump that was covering the whole left side of the breast," she said. "The doctor said it's dense tissue and it was very common for a woman of my age."

Herauf, 26, had an ultrasound and doctors told her not to worry. Still, months went by and more symptoms began developing.

"I had to go get another opinion because I felt that was not the right opinion and I knew something was wrong," Herauf said.

It turned out Herauf had Stage 2 breast cancer.

"It was horrible," she said. "Everything was on mute. If it's breast cancer, it's not going to go away. It's going to steadily get worse."

According to  Dr. Sandy Kotiah, Medical Oncology and Hematology, in a case like Herauf's, getting the right imaging is crucial. Dr. Kotiah encourages all patients not to ignore any persistent and progressive symptoms.

"If it's something new that didn't belong there before, whether it's on your skin, whether it's a bump you feel, a mass in your breast, something that's not going away then you should get that checked out," said Dr. Kotiah, who is Director of The Neuroendocrine Tumor Center at Mercy.

After a year of fighting cancer, Herauf is having her last treatment just in time to celebrate her son's third birthday.