It has long been known as the silent cancer killer. Ovarian cancer, which affects more than 21,000 American women each year, is known for its collection of vague, subtle symptoms, such as bloating, that are often overlooked.
That’s why 80 percent of cases aren’t diagnosed until the disease has spread, and half won’t survive more than five years.
Now a young former patient has detailed the two baffling signs of her tumor, which had grown to the size of a football by the time it was found.
TikTok influencer Dr. Amy has shared her shock cancer story with her 45,000 followers to warn others about the little-known signs.
In a video posted in October, at the age of 30, she talked about her bewilderment at the diagnosis because she had no risk factors.
“I was doing all the right things to prevent cancer,” says Amy, who worked at a local cancer center.
‘Eat well, exercise, or so I thought. That’s exactly what I’m going to show you in this video, what my symptoms were. These are things that most people miss. Sharing my story could save your life.”
During Amy’s diagnosis in 2017, she lived a “pretty average life.” She had recently bought her first home with her fiancé and got married three months later.
But shortly after returning from a two-week honeymoon in Italy and Greece, the first symptoms appeared.
Dr. Amy Fans had a 21 cm tumor removed from her ovary, as well as from the ovary itself.
“After two weeks of overindulgence I had obviously gained some weight,” says Amy, who posts regularly health tips on her popular channel.
‘Nothing major, maybe five pounds or so. I buffed it away a bit, but even weeks later it didn’t seem to come off.
“I knew my body very well,” she adds. ‘I eat well, I exercise. But I didn’t lose any weight. At least I’ve arrived.’
But then came “symptom number one” that “set alarm bells ringing.”
“I had relentless heartburn,” she says. ‘I had heartburn all the time. This had never happened to me before. I had to keep Tums in my desk drawer at the hospital because I simply couldn’t survive a day without them. My inner voice said something was wrong.’
Eventually, Amy visited her GP, who, among other things, carried out tests for stomach ulcers, all of which were negative. Then the doctor sent her to the hospital for an ultrasound.
“It was 5pm on a Friday afternoon when my doctor’s name appeared on my phone. I stood there, frozen at my kitchen counter,” she says. ‘She said, ‘You have a tumor on your ovary. It measures 21 by 10 cm. I’m sorry, you have cancer.’
Amy first started experiencing symptoms of ovarian cancer weeks after returning from a European honeymoon.
Amy was diagnosed with stage three disease, which means the cancer has spread beyond the ovary. Less than 40 percent of women diagnosed at this stage will survive more than five years.
Later in the video, the doctor explains why ovarian cancer is linked to heartburn.
“The size of the tumor was pushing against my intestines and my stomach,” she says. ‘It caused me to have acid reflux. My stomach was running out of room.’
Shortly after her diagnosis, Amy began grueling treatment. First, she underwent major surgery to remove the tumor, and her abdomen was closed with 33 surgical staples.
‘The operation was the easy part. Chemo was next. The side effects scared me. Rightly so.’ The treatment made Amy “so exhausted, nauseous” and “depressed,” but it worked to destroy the cancer cells.
Now, six years later, she is still cancer-free. “Even with just one ovary, my husband and I were able to grow our family,” she says, talking about her two “miracle children.”
“I’m living proof that you can really put all your eggs in one basket.”