Stage I Gastric Cancer: Sarah's Survivor Story
This gastric cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage I
- Biomarkers
- CDH1 mutation
- Treatment
- surgery
- Outcome
- Cancer-Free / NED
Treatment course, step by step
- Underwent a total gastrectomy on April 24, 2020.
- No additional anticancer treatment was needed after pathology found Stage I stomach cancer.
What happened, in summary
At 25, this patient learned through genetic testing that they carried a CDH1 mutation, which substantially increased the risk of stomach cancer. Because stomach cancer can be difficult to detect early in people with this mutation, they chose a preventive total gastrectomy rather than ongoing surveillance.
The stomach was removed at MD Anderson on April 24, 2020. The decision was difficult because the patient felt healthy and had no cancer symptoms. After surgery, the pathology report brought an unexpected finding: Stage I stomach cancer was already present. It had been found early enough that no additional anticancer treatment was needed.
Living without a stomach required changes to portion sizes, sugar intake, hydration, protein and vitamin intake, but the patient gradually developed a normal routine. Five years later, they reported remaining cancer-free and active. They also began breast screening because CDH1 increases the risk of lobular breast cancer. The experience turned a risk-reducing operation into treatment for an early cancer that had been hidden without symptoms.
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