Stage IV Cancer Vanishes After Chemotherapy in โคRemarkable Remission
IRVINE, CA – A 36-year-old man diagnosed wihtโ advanced colorectal cancer experienced a complete remission after undergoing chemotherapy, a result that evenโ surprised his oncologist. The case, recently highlighted by Hurriyet, details the journey of Indiana resident, Kissell, who faced a grim prognosisโข but ultimately achieved a full recovery.
Kissell’s diagnosis โrevealed seven small tumors in his liver, tumors in his lymph nodes, and a primary tumor in hisโ large intestine.โ Initially,he โexpressed fear,especially regarding the financial burden of โขtreatment. Though, he found strength in his close-knit family and community, who provided unwavering support, even bringing him food during his โtreatment.
Following four rounds of chemotherapy, scans revealed a โstunning growth: all sevenโ liver tumors and โคthose in his lymph nodes hadโค disappeared. โคThe primary intestinal tumor hadโค significantly shrunk. Thisโค prompted โa shift in his treatment plan, with doctors opting โขto complete 12 rounds ofโฃ chemotherapy before surgery. Ultimately, all signs of โcancer vanished.
“Neooadjuvant chemotherapy – using chemotherapy to shrink cancerโค cellsโค before โขsurgeries โ- can sometimes lead to effective remission,” โexplained Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, Medical Director of Gastrointestinal Oncologyโค at city of hope in Irvine, California, in a statement toโฃ Business Insider. He โnoted โขthat while effective in roughly one-third of his โpatients, a complete remission after neooadjuvant chemotherapy is “very rare.” Dr. Kasi emphasized that reducing tumor size with chemotherapy can improve surgical outcomes, even โขwhen a small tumor remains near โvital bloodโ vessels.
Kissell’s case was particularly remarkable, as his doctor โฃstated he was the firstโ patient to respond to chemotherapy in such a dramatic way.
Nearly nine years post-treatment, Kissell remains in remission, undergoing annualโค check-ups with his oncologist. He admits the transition back to normal life was challenging. “Theโ situation was very bad in โthe beginning. โคI was looking โขfor my oncologist if my โfingerโ was painful. It tookโ too long to overcome it,” he said.
The experience profoundly shifted his perspective, particularly regarding the importance of family. โ”He didn’t like to take โคpictures in the past, โฃbut this hasโฃ changed with cancer. Fortunately, I could save many moments in the last eight years. I wish to accumulate more,” Kissell shared.
this case underscores the potential of chemotherapy in โadvanced colorectal cancer, while also highlighting the critical role of support systems and โthe โคenduring impact of a cancer diagnosis on a patient’s life.
