Stage IV Gastric Cancer: Faye's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Faye Hood was 70 and training for a half-marathon in 2017 when she was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer. She had noticed bloating and bowel changes but initially thought they were part of getting older. After deciding to seek care at MD Anderson, an endoscopy was performed to confirm the diagnosis and guide treatment planning.

Faye began with 9 cycles of chemotherapy. She then met with a stomach cancer surgeon who offered participation in a clinical trial involving an aggressive operation and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, or HIPEC.

On April 18, 2018, surgeons removed the tumors and about 85% of Faye’s stomach. During the same operation, heated chemotherapy was delivered into her abdomen as part of the clinical trial. She spent a week in the hospital and then remained in Houston for 7 weeks while recovering. She needed a feeding tube after surgery and lost 27 pounds before gradually returning to regular foods with dietitian support.

Physical activity remained important throughout recovery. Faye began walking while still in the hospital and progressively returned to exercise. One year after surgery, she entered the same half-marathon she had postponed when cancer treatment began and completed it. She later continued participating in races while adapting to smaller meals after the partial stomach removal.