Stage IV Ovarian Cancer: Susan's Patient Story
This ovarian cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage IV
- Sex
- female
- Outcome
- In Memory
What happened, in summary
Susan’s husband, Mac Dunwoody, recalled how rapidly her abdomen changed before she was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer. Susan had returned from a trip to India when her stomach suddenly became markedly swollen over about 2 weeks. Mac remembered that she went from having a flat abdomen to looking as though she were about 7 months pregnant. The change was particularly striking because Susan had been in excellent physical condition and exercised almost every day. She was subsequently treated for Stage IV ovarian cancer. Mac later shared the account as Susan’s husband after her death, focusing on the sudden abdominal swelling that had been one of the clearest signs that something was wrong.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MD Anderson. 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