20-летняя выжившая после рака делится историей борьбы с опухолью надпочечника и рецидивом

Following my junior year of high school, I was so excited to spend an entire three weeks at a summer camp. We got to do so many extraordinary things, but I noticed that I was sweating a lot, I was even burning while wearing sunscreen, and I had acne on my face. Not to mention, my appetite seemed to have doubled overnight. Nevertheless, we did a lot of walking and outdoor activities throughout, so I didn’t necessarily think they were particularly unusual changes. However, as the summer turned into fall, my symptoms continued to progress. Over time, I stopped having periods, I couldn’t sleep at night, I developed terrible anxiety, would bruise easily, got migraines, and gained over 10 pounds. This all coincided with college application season, meaning I was studying for the SAT and juggling a part-time job, so I just presumed it was all stress-related. Each of my symptoms seemed to have a perfectly logical reason. Eating a lot? I was exercising more and under stress. Migraines? My mom has had them since she was a teenager; maybe it was my turn. There was a simple explanation for everything. Nonetheless, the mental aspect affected me the most because I felt ugly and out of place. I gained weight, and my face became rounder. I saw someone else in the mirror, and I didn’t like her. I no longer liked being seen, so I isolated myself as much as possible. ‘Scans Showed the Worst-Case Scenario’ I decided to seek medical expertise after I missed my period for the second time. That was the final straw in my long list of symptoms. To my surprise, the pediatrician looked at my facial features and thought I might have Cushing’s Syndrome, a hormonal disorder caused by an abnormal amount of cortisol. In order to find out, I had to complete blood tests, a 24-hour urine collection, and a midnight saliva test. When the results came back, my cortisol was through the roof. Once we knew that, the next step was to figure out where this abnormal secretion was coming from. The majority of Cushing’s Syndrome cases are caused by benign pituitary tumors, so we scheduled a brain MRI and planned to see an endocrinologist. Let’s not forget, while this was happening, I submitted my early decision application to NYU and continued feeling miserable at school. I actually hit my breaking point and refused to go to school because I couldn’t keep waiting around when I knew something terrible was happening inside me. Instead, I went to the doctor and pleaded for more help. My brain MRI was negative for a tumor, but clearly something was wrong, so we did an ultrasound of my abdomen. Unfortunately, that’s when they found a 9-centimeter [3.5-inch] tumor. This was highly concerning, so I was transferred to another hospital for more extensive scanning of my abdomen. Further CT and MRI scans showed the worst-case scenario: I had an 11-centimeter [4.3-inch] tumor and it had spread to my liver and lungs. That could mean only one thing—stage 4 cancer. On November 1, 2023, I was diagnosed with Cushing’s Syndrome, and, less than a month later, came the next life-changing moment. I was diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma on November 28, a rare and aggressive cancer. It’s thought that each year, around one in every million people receive this diagnosis, and now, that includes me. I am one in a million. When the doctors gave me the diagnosis, I remember being completely checked out. I was a shell of a person going through the motions without feeling anything. Part of me knew what was happening was profound, but the other part couldn't accept the truth. What would happen now? I didn’t want to know. ‘Another Scare Just Around the Corner' After we determined what was going on, it was clear we needed a highly talented surgeon. We searched far and wide before landing on a surgeon from Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. There, I underwent a nine-hour surgery to remove my right adrenal gland, primary tumor, part of my liver, and part of my diaphragm. The surgery was successful and left clean margins in my abdomen. Unfortunately, what was in my lungs still had to be dealt with. Not long after my surgery, I had to start chemotherapy, which was brutal. I felt like giving up on many occasions. It was a dark time, but I managed to complete senior year remotely and I got into NYU, so there was hope. I managed to graduate and walk across the stage bald and proud on the one condition that I had a portable chemo pump. Of course, I got a standing ovation and long applause. In July 2024, chemotherapy ended and I was officially cancer-free. Although I didn't exactly get to celebrate my victory because I was in the hospital for a month with horrible gastritis. By the fall of that year, I began seeing improvements and started going out again. I deferred my NYU acceptance for a year and used the time to see friends and rebuild my life. However, everything changed again in March 2025. A routine scan of my lungs showed a recurrence. So, this time, we decided to try immunotherapy instead. That bought me a few extra months, and I even started attending classes at NYU in Washington, DC. Yet, there was another scare just around the corner because doctors discovered a 10 cm tumor next to my heart. It was like déjà vu. I had surgery to remove six tumors from my right lung, although surgeons were unable to remove the tumor next to my heart. As a result, I quickly had to start radiation while recovering from major surgery and trying to complete my classes. I ended up leaving school again because I was having difficulty breathing. It turns out I had two liters of fluid in my right lung and tissue scarring from radiation. Now, I’m participating in a clinical trial at the NIH where I receive an infusion every three weeks and I hope to continue with this plan. I am currently attending NYU for my sophomore year and will drive back down to the NIH every three weeks. ‘Living With Cancer to the Best of My Ability’ While each treatment has come with its own side effects, the worst has definitely been the chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy. One of the chemo drugs was slowly taking away my ability to feel with my hands and feet, so now I have practically no sensation. I can no longer run, jump, drive, or even walk properly. Despite that, I am living with cancer to the best of my ability. It is still present in my lungs and liver, but that does not detract from my happiness. I can still be happy, but it's just harder. I make sure that I still hang out with friends, enjoy my family’s company, and eat plenty of good food. In a way, cancer forces you to leave a certain bubble and jump into a much bigger world filled with new people and experiences. My message to others is to always pay attention when your body tells you something isn’t right. Advocate for yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help. For me, I could have easily not gone to the doctor and just attributed my symptoms to stress. But if I did that, I would probably be dead. So, take your body seriously and make sure others do as well. Even if you do receive a terrifying diagnosis, you can absolutely still lead a happy life. Virginia Hooper, 20, who goes by Ginny, resides in Northern Virginia and frequently travels to Washington and Maryland for medical appointments. She has been documenting her cancer journey on social media (@_ginnyhooper_ on Instagram and @ginnyhoop on TikTok) to educate and inspire others.