Ovarian Cancer: Dana's Patient Story
This ovarian cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Sex
- female
- Treatment
- chemotherapy, surgery and hormone therapy
- Outcome
- Living With Cancer
Treatment course, step by step
- Over 10 years, Dana underwent four surgeries for recurrences and new tumors.
- In 2017, Dana received 5 months of chemotherapy.
- Dana was taking aromatase inhibitors to reduce the size of a current tumor.
What happened, in summary
Dana Kivel was diagnosed in late 2011 with a rare ovarian cancer called a granulosa cell tumor. Over the next 10 years, the cancer recurred, with new tumors appearing in other parts of their body. Dana underwent four surgeries and received 5 months of chemotherapy in 2017. At the time of the story, they were taking aromatase inhibitors, described as estrogen blockers, to reduce the size of a current tumor.
Dana is nonbinary and gender queer and uses they/them pronouns. Their cancer journey has often required them and their wife, Sharon, to explain Dana’s identity and pronouns to health professionals while also coping with treatment and recovery. A recurrence in 2015 delayed a planned mastectomy related to Dana’s gender transition, and their medical team later advised against hormone treatment because of uncertainty about how it might affect their health.
Dana turned these experiences into advocacy. They volunteer with OCRA’s Survivors Teaching Students program and speak about the needs of transgender and nonbinary people with ovarian cancer. Their goal is to help patients be seen, heard, and included in cancer care and research.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. 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