Rare granulosa cell tumor survivor: Go to MD Anderson first

The first time I was diagnosed with a granulosa cell tumor in early 2005, I didn’t realize that my doctors here in Mississippi may have never treated this rare type of ovarian cancer before. So, I proceeded with treatment locally. Fortunately, that kept the cancer at bay for about 12 years. 

But when the granulosa cell tumor recurred in 2017, I realized I wanted a specialist. I contacted MD Anderson for a second opinion. The doctors there agreed with my local care team’s plan, so I stayed in Jackson for my second round of treatment, too. 

When the tumor recurred again this year, though, I got some mixed signals locally about how to proceed. That made my choice much clearer: I headed straight to MD Anderson.

Why I sought a second opinion at MD Anderson

I contacted MD Anderson initially because Dr. David Gershenson’s name was on the pamphlet my local care team handed me to explain why chemotherapy might be necessary. He’s a gynecologic oncologist at MD Anderson specializing in ovarian and other gynecologic cancers. 

Dr. Gershenson inspired so much trust in me during our 2017 consultation that I reached out to him again this year. It turns out that he’s semi-retired now, so he couldn’t take me back on as a patient. But he referred me to his colleague and fellow gynecologic oncologist, Dr. Tyler Hillman, who turned out to be just as wonderful.

Treatment for my second granulosa cell tumor recurrence

Dr. Hillman did his own scans and tests to confirm the recurrence. Then, he recommended an immediate debulking surgery. The goal was to remove as much of the cancer as possible. 

Because some of the tumors were attached to my liver and colon, Dr. Hillman told me that the procedure would be very complex. Many specialized surgeons aside from him would need to be either directly involved or on standby. One of those was Dr. Beth Helmink, a surgical oncologist who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers.

Dr. Hillman also said that if the cancer turned out to be more advanced than it appeared, there might be nothing he could do. If that happened, he would have to sew me right back up. Also, if my colon was too damaged by the cancer, there was a chance I might wake up with an ostomy. Part of my liver might need to be removed as well.

I said that I trusted him and was willing to take a chance. We scheduled the surgery for April 11, 2024. 

Dr. Hillman and Dr. Helmink ended up removing 18 tumors from my abdomen. But the chemotherapy I’d received locally had done its job. So, some of the tumors were already detached from my organs, making their removal a tiny bit easier. It also turned out that none of the tumors was invasive. So, I didn’t need an ostomy or a liver resection. I was incredibly relieved.

My life after granulosa cell tumor treatment

After educating myself a little more about granulosa cell tumors, I know now that I will probably never really be cancer-free. There’s no cure yet, and even today, there are probably still a few cancer cells floating around my body that scans just don’t show. I’ll need to be monitored for the rest of my life.

But I’ve been dealing with this cancer now for almost 20 years. And as of this moment, I show no evidence of disease. All of my tumor markers have dropped significantly. I have no side effects. And I take just one hormone therapy pill a day to reduce my risk of recurrence.

So, I tell everyone with cancer to get to MD Anderson. Go to the place where people know your disease. It’s worth the trip. Every single person I met at MD Anderson treated me like I was their only patient. And their doctors know what they’re doing, they’re prepared and they really care. There is nobody better.

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.