Woman had nine organs removed in 'mother of all surgeries' after misdiagnosis
A woman's 'endometriosis' turned out to be a ruptured tumour caused by a rare cancer, leaving her needing nine organs removed.
After experiencing excruciating pain in her right side, Claire Gerring was referred to her local hospital, where her symptoms were investigated as suspected endometriosis.
But after a positive Faecal Immunochemical Test (PIT) and a colonoscopy revealing that her appendix was inverted, the 42-year-old was referred for further investigations, which revealed that she had malignant tissue growing on the organ.
She was later diagnosed with stage four Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), a rare cancer which usually originates from a tumour in the appendix.
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Also referred to as 'jelly belly', PMP is an extremely rare form of cancer which typically originates in the appendix.
The tumour cells create a mucus - called mucin - which spreads to other organs across the abdomen, causing symptoms such as swelling, bloating and pain in the abdominal region.
According to statistics from Pseudomyxoma Survivor, the cancer is considered extremely rare, diagnosed in around three to four people per million each year.
Revealing that she was left feeling scared and alone after receiving the diagnosis, Claire said: "I felt really quite scared and quite alone after my diagnosis.
"When you’ve got a rare cancer and it’s not something you’ve heard of before there’s not a lot of people to talk to about it."
Claire also didn't experience weight loss, one of the common symptoms associated with most cancers, instead looking 'four months pregnant' due to the swelling in her abdomen.
"I thought I’d just got to 40 and it was my middle-aged spread," she said of the weight gain.
Gerring needed nine organs removed to clear her body of cancer
After being referred to Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, one of only two hospitals in the UK which specialise in PMP treatment, it was revealed that the tumour on her appendix had ruptured, coating organs in her abdomen.
It was concluded that the Oxfordshire mum-of-two would need an extensive 10-hour surgery in order to remove a total of nine organs. This included the total removal of her appendix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, gallbladder, spleen, uterus, and cervix, as well as her greater omentum, belly button and peritoneum lining.
Claire also needed part of her liver and bowel removed, while doctors also scraped tumour cells from her diaphragm and bladder.
“It’s a lot to process," Claire said after learning the extent of the surgery the doctors would perform.
"It’s quite scary, but I’m lucky I had professionals who knew what they were doing," she added.
"It’s called the mother of all surgeries because of the severity of it."
Nearly a year on from having the surgery, Claire has 'no evidence' of the disease in her body, but will need monitoring over the next 20 years for any evidence of recurrence.
She also revealed that she has since experienced complications with her bowels, recently being hospitalised for 10 days due to a bowel obstruction, but thinks the surgery is a 'small price to pay' overall.
"I’m still grateful, it’s a small price to pay," she said.
"Basically what they say is you’re never back to your old self, you just get used to the new you."
A year into her recovery, Claire has since been fundraising to support PMP charity Pseudomyxoma Survivor, recently raising £16,002 through events such a masked ball.
"I feel so passionate about giving back to this charity who stepped in and helped me at the point in life when it felt uncertain and alone," Claire said of the charity.
"As a charity, we are incredibly touched by the effort and generosity behind this fundraising event," Maddy Lomas, trustee at Pseudomyxoma Survivor, said of Claire's fundraising efforts.
"What makes it even more special is that it has been organised by someone who knows first-hand what it means to face a diagnosis of PMP.
"Having received support from Pseudomyxoma Survivor during her own journey, Claire has now turned that experience into an opportunity to give back and support others who are walking a similar path," she continued.
"This is truly commendable and a wonderful example of how personal experiences can be transformed into something that brings hope and support to others."
You can donate to Claire's fundraiser here.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Health
Brenna Cooper