Young Survivor: Beating Terminal Colon Cancer with an Experimental Drug

• EXPLORE FURTHER: Oncology specialist discloses medication that might lower the chances of developing colorectal cancer

When Emma Dimery was informed she had terminal colon cancer At 23, her life took an unexpected turn.

After recently completing art school, she embarked on a promising career when she received a diagnosis that made it unlikely for her to reach her 30th birthday.

Initially, the seriousness of the situation wasn’t fully comprehended by her; instead, she was more preoccupied with how it might impact her social or romantic life, as she shared on https://Positivibemind.com.

It took over a year for me to acknowledge that this will remain a permanent part of my life."

However, remarkably, 12 years later, she is content and flourishing due to a clinical trial that aided in saving her life following several rounds of ineffective chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

The artist and illustrator Minnesota is now sharing her journey to offer others encouragement and to increase public understanding on the topic signs of colon cancer So it can be detected earlier.

In retrospect, she realized that the initial signs she ought to have been more attentive to were persistent exhaustion, lack of strength, and severe abdominal pains that grew increasingly worse over time.

It wasn't until her yearly check-up that Emma discovered there was a significant issue with her well-being.

She shared: "I simply believed I was exhausting myself from all sides. During my annual checkup, I didn’t think much about them taking blood."

Once I arrived home, I slept for nearly two days straight before being awakened by my mother’s repeated calls from outside my apartment.

'She was in a real panic saying my doctor couldn’t get hold of me and I needed to go to the ER immediately.

'Thereafter, following numerous examinations, a colonoscopy confirmed that I was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. It came as a shock to me.'

In December 2013, Emma disclosed that physicians discovered two growths in her colon, with one being as large as a softball and the other similar in size to a golf ball.

Doctors informed her that the condition had advanced to stage 4 colorectal cancer, and they promptly devised a treatment strategy.

Emma's tale emerges as early-onset cancers surge in the United States.

By 2019 the rates in young people were 79 percent higher compared to in 1990.

The five-year survival rate for colon cancer stands at 64 percent; however, this figure decreases to 13 percent once the cancer has metastasized. This is particularly common in younger patients since symptoms frequently go unnoticed or are incorrectly diagnosed until the disease has extensively disseminated within the body.

The symptoms encompass alterations in bowel movements, presence of blood in stools, feelings of weakness, fatigue, experiencing nausea, diminished appetite, noticing a mass in the abdomen or rectal area, encountering diarrhea, suffering from abdominal cramps, dealing with constipation, and episodes of vomiting.

The blood test showed that Emma additionally had a reduced number of red blood cells.

According to the American Cancer Society, blood may cause visible discoloration in feces or darken them; however, stools often appear typical.

However, as time passes, the accumulated blood loss may result in decreased levels of red blood cells.

Following her diagnosis, Emma went through surgery to excise the portion of her colon that was most impacted. Subsequently, she received chemotherapy treatments intermittently over approximately one year.

Even with these treatments, the cancer persisted and progressed. In 2016,Emma underwent a partial hysterectomy to remove her uterus after the illness affected the tissue around her reproductive system.

From there, she kept going with chemotherapy and radiation therapies and she also started immunotherapy.

This treatment approach harnesses the body's own immune system to fight cancer.

Rather than specifically attacking cancer cells, immunotherapy focuses on enhancing or altering the immune system so that it can better identify and combat these cells.

This therapy can be delivered in multiple manners, such as via IV infusion, by injection, and in oral tablet form.

However, after a brief period of trying immunotherapy, Emma's physician informed her about a clinical study at the University of Minnesota, which she considers a 'game changer.'

During the 2020 trial overseen by Dr. Emil Lou, cancer cells were extracted from Emma and modified in a laboratory utilizing cutting-edge gene-editing technology.

These modified cells, offering improved protection against tumors, were subsequently returned to Emma's body through infusion.

Impressively, after only one session, improvements were noticeable, and she was diagnosed as cancer-free two months thereafter.

Doctor Lou considered Emma's reaction to the experimental trial, involving 12 participants, as 'extraordinary.'

In addition to others involved in the trial, the oncologist shared that multiple participants reported their condition had become stable, suggesting that tumor growth had ceased.

His group is now aiming to expand upon the achievements of the gene-editing technology and explore the possibilities of implementing it on a broader scale.

When discussing her primary sources of strength throughout her fight with cancer, Emma shared with this website: "Undoubtedly, my main source of support has come from my incredible family and friends."

My mother, Barbara, my elder sister, Anne, and I had nicknamed ourselves Team Weston (our surname prior to marriage).

I encountered my spouse, Andrew roughly eighteen months following my diagnosis, and he has consistently stood beside me through every challenge. I feel incredibly fortunate to have him in my life!

Studies suggest a connection between eating red meat and ultra-processed foods and a higher likelihood of developing colon cancer.

Since her diagnosis, Emma has deliberately reduced these foods from her diet and strives to stay attuned to her body.

Apart from food, the brunet mentions that another shift caused by her cancer is her perspective on life.

She explains: 'Dealing with cancer for more than a decade has taught me what’s really important in life, to not take very good day for granted, and to realize how important it is not only be active within this ever growing community of young cancer patients, but to give back however you can.

'I sense that compared to my peers, I'm lagging behind in both career and family matters, yet at the same time, I believe I am more composed and resolute.'

Offering advice to others in terms of being alert to cancer, Emma concludes: 'Knowing one’s family background or history of cancer is pretty critical.

'If you have a lot of cancer in your family, like I do, I advise paying close attention to your body and getting screened and tested as soon as or as regularly as you can.

Colon cancer typically does not exhibit many symptoms until it has progressed to an advanced stage. Therefore, it can be more difficult for younger individuals to identify if they have an issue.

Read more