What happened, in summary

Kaisu, a retired nurse in the United States, had experienced mild difficulty swallowing years before the cancer diagnosis. An earlier endoscopy had shown intestinal metaplasia and follow-up was advised. When another endoscopy was eventually performed, a biopsy beneath a stomach ulcer found gastric adenocarcinoma. Kaisu was diagnosed with Stage I stomach cancer at the end of March 2020.

Treatment began with 4 cycles of FLOT chemotherapy. Kaisu then underwent a total gastrectomy with lymph node removal, followed by 4 more cycles of FLOT. Kaisu reported being cancer-free since November 2020.

Recovery brought lasting changes. Neuropathy persisted, while living without a stomach required small, frequent meals and careful carbohydrate intake because of severe dumping syndrome. Energy and strength remained lower than before cancer, and Kaisu later developed osteoporosis and needed additional surgery. Work, home and personal life also changed substantially; Kaisu retired, moved, and was widowed a year after treatment ended. Although grateful to be alive, Kaisu described survivorship as learning to accept a different life and identity while continuing to cope with fear, fatigue and long-term physical effects.