Lung Cancer: Katia's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Katia was 46 when lung cancer was found in an unexpected way. She first had an ovarian cyst emergency and abdominal pain that led to imaging. After surgery for peritonitis, a PET scan between Christmas and New Year 2014 showed what had initially seemed to be only a pulmonary nodule. The finding led to lung surgery in January 2015. Katia learned after the operation that the nodule was a tumor and that surgeons had removed a large part of her left lung; she remembered being told they had “cut wide.” She described it as half a lung, a major physical and emotional shock. After surgery, Katia entered yearly monitoring with a chest X-ray and CT scan. She also stopped smoking at the time of the operation after years of smoking about a pack a day. Daily life changed in practical ways. She had less appetite, gained weight over 2 years, and took medication for high blood pressure. Work also changed: after losing a long-time cooking job for economic reasons, she later worked part-time close to home in kitchens with people with disabilities. By the May 2024 site update, Katia was living without constant fear while continuing annual follow-up and adjusting to life after major lung surgery.