“I’m so glad I got that colonoscopy at 45 because it found something I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. And I’m grateful to Fox Chase and Dr. Greco because I believe the care I received saved my life.”‐Diana Garaitonandia
I learned I was at higher risk of colon cancer after one of my sisters was diagnosed last year and another had a colonoscopy that found polyps. So, at the age of 45, I scheduled a colonoscopy to get checked.
“Well, your colon’s fine, but there’s something wrong with your appendix,” the doctor told me after the procedure.
The appendix was pushing into my cecum, a small pouch at the top of the large intestine. At first, I thought that meant I had appendicitis — not a big deal. Then, a surgeon took a look at the images. He said he thought it looked a little more complicated and that it might be cancer. As soon as I heard that I said, “I want to go to Fox Chase Cancer Center.”
I arranged an appointment to go see Dr. Stephanie Greco, a surgical oncologist at Fox Chase.
Best and Worst Case Scenarios
I hadn’t had any suspicious symptoms, but looking back, my overall energy had been lower for a couple of years, and I’d put on a little weight. I thought it might be hormonal, so I saw my OB-GYN, but she didn’t have much advice for me other than to stop working out so hard at the gym.
Now, I wonder if it might have been because the cancer was growing inside me.
My first doctor had only done a basic CT scan, so the first thing Dr. Greco did was order a much more detailed scan of my whole torso. She said she wanted to get a baseline to see if anything changed in the future.
The scan showed a mass on my appendix a little smaller than a grape. Dr. Greco said that based on the colonoscopy and CT scan, I most likely had a type of appendiceal tumor called low-grade mucinous neoplasm, also known as LAMN, which is very rare.
She also said she could do surgery to remove the tumor and any other tissue that might have been affected. That was the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario was that she would find that the cancer had spread into my abdomen.
If that happened, she would stop the surgery and schedule me for a procedure called HIPEC, which stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This treatment delivers heated chemotherapy directly to the lining of the abdominal cavity during surgery. Although it can be very effective, it’s a more invasive procedure with a more challenging recovery.
I’m a single parent and the only provider for my kids. Even though they’re older, ages 19 to 24, I’m still their backbone. I was worried about what would happen if I needed to have this major surgery and have a long recovery where I couldn’t work. My biggest worry was that I was going to wake up and be told that I needed that second surgery.
Biopsy Reveals Good News
The day before surgery, I had to prepare just like I did for the colonoscopy — no food, empty out my system, and stay hydrated with lots of clear fluids.
Due to the size of the tumor, Dr. Greco did a full appendectomy, removed the part of the cecum that was touching the tumor, and then reattached my small intestine to my large intestine. To my relief, when she came to see me after surgery, she told me that she found no indicators that the cancer had spread. It looked like everything was contained in the appendix. That meant I wouldn’t need the HIPEC procedure.
Recovery was quicker than I thought, but the first two weeks were rough. I slept a lot, and having the incision above my belly button was difficult because it was hard to turn over in bed. I was also determined not to take oxycodone for pain relief because I knew it could affect my digestive system, which was stressed from the surgery. So, I stuck to Tylenol, and that helped with the pain.
After two weeks, I could start rolling over onto my side, and soon after that, I started going on walks with my daughter to exercise my lungs.
I had to wait a while for the biopsy results, which was torture, but it confirmed that the tumor was exactly what Dr. Greco thought, LAMN, and hadn’t spread. That was great news and such a relief.
Motivated and Back at the Gym
Eight weeks after surgery, I’m back at the gym doing my favorite high-intensity workouts. Back when I was talking with my OB-GYN about my energy levels, she told me to try lighter activities, but after this surgery, I’ve decided I’m going to do any exercise I want to. I love the gym — it’s my motivator.
I also love being with my kids. My son is in the Air Force, and my daughters live at home. During my recovery, we spent time at a lake house for a respite visit, and it was wonderful to have that time together.
I’m so glad I got that colonoscopy at 45 because it found something I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. And I’m grateful to Fox Chase and Dr. Greco because I believe the care I received saved my life.
Learn more about treatment for appendix cancer at Fox Chase Cancer Center.