What happened, in summary

Mary Catherine Riley was 46 in 2019 when persistent bloating and urinary frequency led to testing that found ovarian cancer. Her specialist diagnosed stage III disease involving lymph nodes, and surgery confirmed low-grade serous ovarian cancer. She then received 6 rounds of chemotherapy from August through November 2019 while continuing to teach as much as possible. Hair loss, fatigue, and chemo brain were manageable, and after chemotherapy she had no evidence of disease. She started anastrozole to help reduce the risk of recurrence.

For 3 years, regular CT scans remained stable. In 2023, however, an enlarged lymph node was biopsied and confirmed that the cancer had returned. Mary joined a clinical trial of the targeted drugs avutometinib and defactinib. Within a year, she achieved a complete response despite persistent side effects including skin rashes, vision changes, and fluid retention that required supportive care and dose adjustments.

Mary stayed on the trial for 2 years. After the drugs received FDA approval in May 2025, she transitioned to the approved combination, Avmapki Fakzynja Co-pack. She continues treatment with quarterly CT scans and monthly labs and remains without evidence of disease. Outside treatment, she continues hiking, yoga, meditation, art, and time with her family.