Woman who had to undergo a complete hysterectomy at AGE 28 after doctors found 8LB tumor the size of a watermelon in her abdomen reveals ‘pregnancy-like’ symptoms that led to her cancer diagnosis

A young woman has told the terrifying moment she learned she would have to have a hysterectomy after doctors discovered a tumor the size of a watermelon inside her.

Casey Halterman, 29, from South Carolina, discovered she had uterine cancer in 2022 and was forced to undergo a full hysterectomy at age 28 to prevent the disease from returning.

Now the nurse has revealed how doctors found the two-kilo tumor and her journey to recovery.

She also shared how she stayed positive during her illness by throwing a party to say goodbye to her uterus.

In late 2022, Casey began experiencing sharp abdominal pain and pregnancy-like symptoms, such as thinning hair and a frequent need to urinate, so she decided to see her doctors.

That’s when doctors found the tumor, which they said was the size of a watermelon.

She explained that it was difficult for her to notice that the tumor was there because of her weight, but when the doctor showed it to her, she was stunned.

The now 29-year-old nurse said: ‘When I saw the photo of the tumor that had been removed it looked like an alien and I couldn’t believe that was inside me.

“I’m not the smallest girl, so it was hard to tell it was there, but as soon as my doctor put my hands on it, I could feel it for myself.”

Doctors told Casey she would have to have surgery to remove it to discover if it was cancer.

“When they found the tumor, they weren’t sure if it was cancer because when tumors get that big, they’re usually benign,” she said.

‘I remember thinking, “Okay, maybe it’s not cancer; maybe I’ve just had a benign tumor all along.”

‘So that’s what we thought when we had surgery, but it turned out to be cancer.

‘When I woke up, I felt like something was wrong.

‘They told me it would take an hour and a half and it ended up being four hours.

‘The tumor was in my right ovary and grew so large that it stuck to my right pelvic wall.

‘I was diagnosed with stage three uterine cancer. It’s a slow-growing cancer.’

She added: ‘I was terrified.’

Doctors initially told her she would have to undergo a partial hysterectomy.

She explained: ‘Because uterine cancer is so rare in someone my age, it usually occurs in women after the menopause.

‘They looked at pathology to see where it came from – and there were lots of possibilities, like my colon and my skin.

“But they discovered it originated in my uterus during a partial hysterectomy.”

However, because her cancer was so intense, doctors quickly recommended that Casey undergo a full hysterectomy to reduce the chance of recurrence.

‘It was harder to get everything removed. Even though I didn’t think I would be able to have children of my own since high school, I think that was my intuition again,” she said.

Although Casey felt that she had lost her good health and that her life was in ruins.

“I hosted a hysterectomy party before the surgery in February,” she said.

‘It was my way of taking control of the situation.

“It was also a celebration because it was a life-saving operation.”

After surgery, Casey underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and 28 rounds of pelvic radiation.

She explained: ‘I then had chemo from March to July and radiation from the end of August to October 6.

“I’m in remission now.”

Casey noted that this terrifying experience taught her to always advocate for herself and her health.

She added: ‘If I’ve learned anything from this, it’s to be your own biggest advocate when it comes to your healthcare.

‘I’ve also learned the importance of therapy, as the mental health aspect of it all has been much more difficult than my physical recovery.’

The now 29-year-old credited her support system with helping her through the extremely difficult time, adding that people should always reach out to those affected by cancer so they know they are loved.

“I also want others to know how important it is to reach people affected by cancer because it makes a difference,” she said.

Claire Merrifield, GP and medical director at Selph, spoke about Casey’s diagnosis and how rare uterine cancer was in women her age.

‘It is rare to get uterine cancer at a young age. More than 90 percent of new cases of uterine cancer are diagnosed in women after menopause and most cases are diagnosed in women in their 60s or 70s,” the doctor said.

‘One of the symptoms of uterine cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding, which is much more apparent in women who have stopped having periods altogether, so diagnosis is often quicker in women after menopause.’