How a Second Opinion Renewed One Cancer Patient's Life
A beach vacation is supposed to be a relaxing trip.
In 2016, I visited Hawaii with my husband and son. We hiked through the beautiful scenery, snorkeled in the crystal-clear water and spent precious quality time together.
But when I returned home, I didn't feel rested. I had just spent several days in one of the world's most tranquil locations, and instead of recharged, I felt drained and lethargic.
As an occupational therapist, I knew something was off, but I didn't expect to be told that my recent vacation might be my last.
Days after my trip, I noticed my skin beginning to yellow. I immediately went to a doctor, where I was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer that forms in the bile ducts, tubes that connect the gallbladder, liver and small intestine.
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It wasn't just a cancer diagnosis. At only 52 years old, my oncologist told me that it was time to seek hospice care that would "make me comfortable." This disease, I was told, was too advanced to treat.
The bile-duct cancer had spread so far that surgery was off the table. Standard chemotherapy treatments didn't stop the growth and came with toxic side effects. But I wasn't interested in being made "comfortable." I wanted to fight this disease.
As I weighed my options with my family, I settled on the most important decision I've ever made: I sought a second opinion.
I wanted an oncologist who would be aggressive about giving me my best shot against this cancer. And at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center -- Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, I found what I was looking for.
At the OSUCCC -- James, I was connected with Dr. Sameek Roychowdhury, a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program who specializes in precision cancer medicine, a treatment approach that uses genomics to identify specific, targeted therapies for patients.
Dr. Roychowdhury didn't suggest I roll over in the face of the steep odds. Instead, he used genomic testing to find molecular targets in my cancer that would make me a candidate for targeted therapy, a treatment that focuses on specific cancer-causing mutations.
[See: 10 Innovations in Cancer Therapy. ]
With surgery and chemotherapy ruled out, participating in this treatment represented the battle I desperately sought.
The OSUCCC -- James precision cancer medicine discovered that I had a FGFR (fibroblast growth factor receptors) fusion mutation, which is difficult to detect with most genomic tests. Fortunately, Dr. Roychowdhury's lab developed a specialized test called OSU SpARK Fuse meant to detect the mutation.
Once the FGFR mutation was determined, I was told that two different trial therapies exist to target the mutations. Thanks to that trial, I'm equipped with pills called infigratinib, a weapon I can use in my fight. My cancer may not be "cured," but I'm still here two years later, and my cancer is no longer advancing.
The initial diagnosis dramatically changed my life, but the quality of that life has drastically improved because of the targeted therapy I found through Dr. Roychowdhury's second opinion. I've been able to spend more quality time with the people I love, and I'm fighting the disease that was once a death sentence.
My symptoms have improved. And although I may never be free of this cancer, I'm able to think of it as a chronic disease -- something to be controlled rather than cured -- thanks to my treatment.
Through this process, I've chosen to be joyful. If I can help someone else by participating in this clinical trial, I want to do what I can, even if it doesn't cure my own cancer. I believe strongly that we're put on this earth to help each other, and I've kept that in mind throughout my fight.
That's why I'm also participating in a Body Donation for Cancer Research study led by Dr. Roychowdhury. The study, funded by Pelotonia, will investigate cancer treatment resistance after death.
[See: 10 Questions Doctors Wish Their Patients Would Ask.]
In May, I watched my son graduate from high school. This fall, I saw him begin the next chapter of his life as a student at The Ohio State University. I'm excited to witness what comes next, and I believe I'll be there to celebrate my son's next milestones with him.
A few short months from now, it will have been three years since my initial diagnosis. I'll forever be thankful that I decided not to accept "comfort."
Instead, maybe I'll go back to Hawaii.
Linday Boyed is a 54-year-old neuro occupational therapist from Columbus, Ohio. In 2016, she was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a type of cancer that forms in the bile ducts. After nearly three years living with the disease, her cancer has stopped growing and remains stable. She enjoys live music, reading, swimming and binging Netflix.
