Gastric Cancer: Emily's Patient Story
This gastric cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Biomarkers
- CDH1 mutation
- Treatment
- surgery
Treatment course, step by step
- Underwent total gastrectomy on May 16, 2017, before cancer was known to be present.
What happened, in summary
In 2014, this patient learned at age 25 that they carried a CDH1 mutation associated with a high risk of stomach cancer. The initial plan was careful surveillance while the patient and a spouse considered starting a family. Two endoscopies showed no evidence of disease, but the possibility of an undetected cancer remained a concern.
At 27, the patient decided to have a preventive total gastrectomy. The stomach was removed on May 16, 2017. A few weeks later, the pathology report unexpectedly showed signet ring cell carcinoma in the stomach lining, meaning cancer had already been present even though the earlier endoscopies had not found it.
Recovery required learning to eat smaller, frequent meals, stay hydrated and manage the effects of living without a stomach. The patient later regained the 8 pounds lost after surgery, returned to running and exercise, and became pregnant with a first child. The pathology result removed doubts about whether the operation had happened too early.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MD Anderson. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer