The Stomach-less Sisters
This gastric cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage I
- Biomarkers
- CDH1 mutation
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- surgery
- Outcome
- Responding Well
Treatment course, step by step
- She underwent preventive total gastrectomy on May 24, 2016; pathology then revealed Stage I hereditary diffuse gastric cancer.
What happened, in summary
The second of two sisters from a family affected by stomach, colorectal, and breast cancer tested positive for a CDH1 mutation in early 2016. The women were ages 31 and 34 when they faced the decision together. Because reliable screening for hereditary diffuse gastric cancer was limited, specialists recommended preventive surgery.
She and her sister underwent total gastrectomy on the same day, May 24, 2016. Pathology returned 1 week later and found Stage I hereditary diffuse gastric cancer in both stomachs. The finding came despite no outward symptoms and an endoscopy with more than 40 biopsies that had been negative 1 month earlier.
She later described weight loss, changed eating habits, and personal recovery hurdles. The sisters remained focused on their 3 sons, who each had a 50% chance of carrying the family mutation, and on improving future screening options.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by No Stomach For Cancer. 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