A former nurse who was given a year to live when she was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer cancer is now free of the disease after a pioneering operation at the hospital where she worked.
Caroline Ainslie, 60, was given a stage four ‘shock’ diagnosis in March this year after feeling fatigued and not fully recovering from a winter chest infection.
After undergoing tests, she was told that the cancer had spread to multiple areas and that her only treatment option would be three initial rounds of chemotherapy, with the intention of simply prolonging her life rather than curing her of cancer.
Mrs Ainslie said it was “a bolt from the blue” when she learned she was dying of an inoperable cancer.
She had been active just a few weeks earlier: she had gone on a skiing vacation, walked her dog with her wife, and even participated in a 10-mile run.
However, her response to treatment exceeded expectations, significantly reducing the disease and allowing her to undergo surgery using a breakthrough treatment.
The procedure, known as hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, or HIPEC, involves surgically removing cancerous tumors and then administering heated chemotherapy in liquid form directly into the body.
Mrs Ainslie, from Southampton, Hants, is now cancer-free thanks to treatment at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) – the same hospital where she was head of nursing.
Former nurse Caroline Ainslie, 60, from Southampton, Hants, as a patient at University Hospital Southampton.
Caroline Ainslie with wife Katie and dog Nellie.
She said: ‘When I was told I had cancer it was like a bolt from the blue.
‘I hadn’t been feeling myself, which prompted me to get checked out, but then being told I had inoperable ovarian cancer and that it had spread everywhere was such a shock.
‘I was fortunate enough to retire at the age of 55 and was able to enjoy life to the fullest with my wife Katie and our dog Nellie.
‘I had taken part in the Great South Run a few months previously, had recently been on a skiing holiday and was looking forward to an upcoming cycling holiday to Japan in a few weeks’ time.’
Ovarian cancer is often called a “silent killer” because its early signs, such as persistent bloating and pelvic or abdominal pain, are vague and easily mistaken for common digestive or menstrual problems.
These symptoms are often subtle and may worsen before a definitive diagnosis is made.
It is the sixth most common cancer in women, with around 7,500 women diagnosed in Britain every year.
About two-thirds of cases are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options can be more limited, and the disease claims more than 4,000 lives each year.
The groundbreaking HIPEC surgery will take place at University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust.
Since establishing the HIPEC service in 2022, UHS has become a national leader in treatment. It recently completed its 50th procedure for ovarian cancer, making it one of the most experienced centers in Britain.
Mr David Constable-Phelps, Gynecological Oncology Surgeon at UHS, introduced HIPEC for ovarian cancer to UHS and led the team that performed Ms Ainslie’s surgery.
He said: ‘This was a very complex case.
‘By the time Caroline’s cancer was diagnosed, it was already at a very advanced stage and had spread to multiple areas including the abdominal wall, diaphragm, liver and intestines.
‘Remarkably, she responded so well to chemotherapy that surgery, which was initially not possible, became a viable option.
‘During the operation we discovered that the tumor on the liver and diaphragm was also attached to Caroline’s right lung.’
She underwent a complex 12-hour operation during which surgeons were able to remove all visible cancer.
The procedure involved a complete hysterectomy and the removal of tumors from the lining of her abdomen, liver, diaphragm, lungs, lymph nodes and colon, before administering the HIPEC treatment.
Mr Constable-Phelps with the HIPEC team at UHS, celebrating the Trust’s 50th proceedings.
Mr Constable-Phelps added: ‘Our aim during surgery was to remove all visible signs of Caroline’s cancer and HIPEC was then used to target any microscopic disease that was not visible to the naked eye.
‘HIPEC involves filling the abdomen with chemotherapy, heating it to 42 degrees, and pumping it around for 90 minutes at the end of the operation.
‘Caroline will now receive further intravenous chemotherapy to complete her treatment and she will be closely monitored as part of her ongoing care.
‘At this time there is no visible evidence of cancer, and this was not an outcome we thought would be possible when Caroline was first diagnosed.’
The nurse said: ‘I feel incredibly lucky that Southampton is my local hospital and that this specialist treatment was available to me.
‘My surgery was not without challenges and took longer than expected as the team had to call in a thoracic surgeon when they discovered that part of the cancer was attached to my lung.
‘The past few months have been a whirlwind.
‘From the time I was told my cancer was inoperable, I responded so well to chemotherapy that surgery became a possibility.
‘The opportunity to undergo this treatment and have the cancer removed has given me real hope for the future.’
Ms Ainslie is now recovering from surgery and will undergo two more rounds of chemotherapy, while being closely monitored as part of her follow-up care.
She continued: ‘I am absolutely certain that being fit and healthy before my diagnosis helped me enormously, both in the way I responded to chemotherapy and in recovering from surgery.
‘In addition, maintaining a positive attitude has helped me through some very difficult times and continues to motivate me as I work to get back to the active person I was before.’
