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Bryan Chagolla was 38 when worsening abdominal pain, loss of appetite, heartburn, and nearly 40 pounds of weight loss led him to the emergency room in 2019. A biopsy confirmed Stage IV gastric, or stomach, cancer. The cancer was HER2-positive and had spread to his liver.
Bryan first received FOLFOX chemotherapy with trastuzumab (Herceptin) for about 6 months. The treatment reduced his tumors, including a large tumor near the junction of his stomach and esophagus. Because of side effects, his chemotherapy was later modified while Herceptin continued. By late 2020, blood tests and scans showed the cancer growing again.
He then entered a clinical trial of two targeted therapies but had to stop because of serious side effects. In February 2021, he started trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu). His cancer marker fell sharply, and a May 2021 scan showed his tumors shrinking again. Bryan focused on maintaining balance, spending time with family, and caring for his mental and spiritual health. He died on May 13, 2022, surrounded by loved ones.
This is a lay summary of an account first published by AACR. Read the original in full
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