Cancer Spread Throughout the Body Due to Incorrect Treatment

The disease is becoming a book. H.G., a 51-year-old fashion designer and mother of two, learned that after being diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing a mastectomy, the cancer spread to her liver, bones, lungs, and pancreas due to incorrect treatment. "Because of the wrong treatment, cancer spread throughout my body. Despite frequently going for check-ups, they didn't notice the mass. I came back from the brink of death. There were 13 masses in my liver, and I fought hard to recover, and I did. Thanks to my doctor's treatment, my entire body was cleared in six months, and I got back on my feet. However, it was thought that I had only three months left to live," she stated.

H.G. said her struggle for life began in 2014. "I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in my left breast. My breast was removed through surgery. In one hospital, a biopsy result was different, and at another hospital, it came out differently as well. Based on the incorrect biopsy result, I was given chemotherapy treatment. I underwent eight cycles of chemotherapy, but because of the wrong treatment, my chemotherapy sessions were very harsh. After the chemotherapies, my check-ups began. When I went for my first three-month check-up, they told me there was a 1 cm connective tissue in my liver, but they didn't pay much attention to it. In February 2017, during a check-up, I learned that cancer had spread throughout my body; I was devastated," she said.

I Predicted My Lifespan Through Internet Research

H.G. noted that at the beginning of this year, she began experiencing extreme itching on her body. "I read online that itching was among the symptoms of liver cancer, but I didn’t think it would apply to me. My older brother is currently battling lung cancer. One day, while sitting with my brother and sister-in-law, she told me that my eyes had turned yellow. I immediately went to the doctor, and my tests showed that my jaundice was very high, leading the doctor to urgently request a liver ultrasound. I underwent the ultrasound, and it was discovered that I had 13 masses in my liver. The masses were sized 3, 4, 5, and 6 cm. When I learned that I had 13 masses in my liver, I was of course devastated; my entire world went dark. Since I couldn't receive treatment until my jaundice dropped, they placed a PTK (Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography). In this method, under local anesthesia, a needle is inserted through the skin to reach the bile ducts in the liver, and a film of the bile ducts is taken. During this procedure, a drain is placed to allow bile to flow out and reduce jaundice. This was also a very painful process. During this time, I was looking for a doctor for myself. While conducting research online, I simultaneously began to predict my lifespan. I have two young children, one is 11 and the other is 9 years old. It was a very tough time. I constantly thought about who I would leave them to if I died. However, I later decided to pull myself together. I started distancing myself from bad news and researching life stories of those who had overcome this disease. One day, I came across an article in a newspaper about a patient treated by Prof. Dr. Necdet Üskent. The interview with this patient deeply affected me. This patient had experienced the same problems I had and survived. After reading this story, I immediately made an appointment with Dr. Necdet in February," she explained.

They Said It Was Connective Tissue, but It Turned Out to Be Cancer

Describing her condition when she approached Prof. Dr. Necdet Üskent, a Medical Oncology Specialist and Coordinator of Oncological Sciences at Anadolu Health Center, H.G. said, "Dr. Necdet explained the treatment and what needed to be done to me. He never predicted my lifespan. Despite everything, he spoke very encouragingly. I decided to fight for my life. Of course, the fear of death occasionally engulfed me. But I decided to live for my children. A PET/CT scan was conducted, revealing that I had cancer in my bones, lungs, pancreas, and liver; in other words, throughout my entire body. Until this time, the failure to detect the cancer was entirely due to doctor errors and the consequences of incorrect treatment. In my first check-up, they had told me there was connective tissue in my liver, and it was never taken seriously."

No Treatment Can Be Applied Without Improving the Liver

H.G. stated that treatment began with her liver. "Radioembolization was performed in the Radiology Department of Anadolu Health Center because the liver needed to be saved first to continue the treatment. In radioembolization, just like in angiography, access to the tumor is achieved by entering through the groin, and only radiation therapy is applied to the tumor inside the body, while also blocking the blood vessels feeding the tumor. This treatment was challenging, but it was very effective. At the end of one month, my liver began to recover, and my values decreased. In the meantime, I started to feel better. Radioembolization worked very well for me. After radioembolization, my chemotherapy process began to prevent further spread of the cancer. When my illness started, I weighed around 56-57 kilograms. However, I entered chemotherapy weighing 49 kilograms. Liver diseases can really wear a person down quickly, but thankfully I survived

A Complete Miracle

H.G. recounts that Prof. Dr. Necdet Üskent requested a re-biopsy due to differing results from various hospitals. “With the new biopsy results, it was confirmed that I had previously received the wrong treatment. If this situation had escaped Necdet Hoca’s attention, I would have been receiving wrong treatment again and might have died. During my 4 cycles of chemotherapy, I began to regain weight. It was very clear that the chemotherapy was working. I could even feel that something was improving in my body. I returned to my old active self. After 4 cycles of chemotherapy, a PET/CT scan was performed. My results were quite promising, and Necdet Hoca decided to administer 4 more cycles of chemotherapy for protective purposes. I received a complete response to the chemotherapy, and it was observed that my body was completely free of cancer. This is a complete miracle. When I started to recover, my doctor asked me, ‘Did you realize what condition you were in?’ I was apparently a patient with about 3 months left to live, but my doctor hadn’t told me this and did everything he could to keep me alive. He never made me feel this negativity. I owe my life to him. I can never repay him.”

I Was a Patient in the Final Stage

H.G. says that her children are what keep her alive. “Our people call this disease a ‘bad illness.’ No one understands anyone else. I always looked good, even in my worst state. My hair fell out, and I looked for a wig that suited me. I was attending an English course and continued with it. I was also attending a popular music course; I would leave chemotherapy and go to concerts, singing at them. When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t tell my children; I couldn’t explain it to them, but they understood when they saw my hair falling out. I told them that I would fight my illness and not give up. I was a patient in the final stage. For me, being alive right now is a miracle. This disease has taught me a lot. I’ve started to love myself more. I no longer sacrifice myself for anyone. I used to be very self-sacrificing. The fear of death is a terrible thing. I have seen that. My life will eventually come to an end, but I felt that it wouldn’t be due to cancer, and I fought. No one should lose hope; they should fight. During this process, my biggest supporters were my husband, my children, and my family. They never left me alone.”

Turning Her Illness and Treatment Process into a Book

H.G., who married at 34 and became a mother very late, says, “I held my son in my arms when I was 39 years old, and I fought very hard to be able to do so. I am turning both my pregnancy and my illness process into a book. I underwent treatment to have children, and I lost one child. I have fought very hard in this life. I want to give hope to women regarding this. I want to send a message that they should not lose hope about having children. You can still become a mother at 40 or 42. It’s important to be strong, not give up, and fight.”

“The Patient Came to Us in a Truly Depleted State”

Prof. Dr. Necdet Üskent (Medical Oncology Specialist and Coordinator of Oncological Sciences at Anadolu Health Center)

“When this patient came to us, she was truly in a depleted state. The cancer had spread extensively to the liver and bones. The metastases in the liver had blocked the bile ducts, leading to jaundice. First, a catheter was placed in the bile ducts, and bile was drained to alleviate the jaundice. Then, a biopsy was taken again from the liver. It was found that the biological structure of the breast cancer was different from the initial diagnosis. In the new biopsy we conducted, some values that were positive according to the initial assessment were actually negative. Therefore, she had not responded to the hormonal treatments she previously received, and her disease had progressed rapidly. Radioembolization was performed in our Radiology Department, and when we provided a treatment more suitable for the diagnosis of “triple-negative breast cancer,” we saw that the disease had regressed completely. Currently, the patient shows a complete response in her liver and bone metastases on the PET-CT. Her clinical condition has improved significantly, and she has no complaints or symptoms of the disease. However, she will remain under close observation.”