After 40 years of smoking, Dianne E. quit smoking 12 years ago. In 2018, she was diagnosed with cancer in her right breast. She was treated and remains in remission.
Suddenly, this long-time Valley resident, now 70, began experiencing new symptoms. Following what she described as a high-stress career in medical purchasing, Dianne was “not feeling right.” She suffered from fatigue, dizziness and an unexplained soreness in her left ribcage.
Dianne was unstable on her feet, easily out of breath, and, at times, so wheezy that she had to cancel activities. On top of everything, she started belching, not a burp, but a loud, “very non-lady-like” belch that became progressively worse.
A series of tests and scans revealed Dianne had a large tumor in her left lung. She was treated with chemotherapy and radiation. The tests also showed Dianne had an additional four tumors in her brain: one very aggressive and fast-growing tumor on the left side of her cerebellum, plus three smaller tumors on the right side.
The tumors in both her lung and brain were diagnosed as a rare condition known as neuroendocrine cancer, which affects about 12,000 Americans each year. These tumors develop in endocrine cells, which are present throughout the body and help regulate such bodily functions as growth, reproduction and metabolism.
An ancient part of the brain
Though it comprises only about 10% of the cranium, the cerebellum, which sits at the base of the brain near the spinal cord, is comprised of nearly half of all the body’s neurons, the key cells of the central nervous system. A physical legacy from an earlier evolutionary time, it controls muscle movement, including balance, coordination, and senses of distance and time.
The decision was made to surgically remove the largest of Dianne’s brain tumors. “That’s what was causing my problems with my dizziness and imbalance,” she explains. “My doctors were worried that, at the rate my cancer was growing, that the tumor was going to cause more problems for me, cognitively and physically, so it was imperative that it come out.”
After the large tumor was removed, as part of a clinical trial, the remaining cavity was lined with a new type of radioactive tiles that attack any remaining cancer cells in the brain tissue, which almost inevitably elude surgical removal. The tiles last for several months before dissolving. That was followed by traditional exterior radiation, which was also used to shrink the three smaller tumors.
Credits doctor with saving her life
Under the care of John E. Wanebo, MD, director of neurosurgical oncology and cerebrovascular surgery at HonorHealth, Dianne’s condition has steadily improved. She credits him with saving her life, describing him as compassionate and gentle with a relaxing nature.
“Dr. Wanebo makes you feel safe in his hands,” Dianne says. “He patiently gives you the time to get all questions answered. And the tiles, I truly believe, are a cutting-edge treatment, and I’m so fortunate to have gotten the benefit of radiation to my brain in this manner.”
Her latest MRI of her brain came back without any signs of cancer. Dianne is pleased with the care she’s received and hopes her participation in the clinical trial will benefit other patients in the future.
“Everybody at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center was incredible; I was so impressed,” Dianne shares. “The thing that stands out the most is everybody’s just been so good. From the janitors and cafeteria help, up to research and beyond, everyone has just been so incredible and made me feel so cared for. Just exceptional care.”
She’s still dealing with lung cancer, but she is hopeful that she will live at least a few more years.
“I was never one who wanted to live to 90 (years old),” Dianne explains. “I’ve had a good life. I can accept it. But I guess I was not ready to accept and start planning for a funeral this soon. I know that this is a very aggressive cancer, and it’s going to kill me. And I know I don’t have a lot of time left in my life. But I’d like at least a couple more years if I can get it.”
Offering patients innovative treatment options
The HonorHealth Research Institute is at the forefront of today’s most important health questions. Established in 2005, the Institute has become a patient destination for treatments often available nowhere else.
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