For the first time, British doctors have observed a case of goblet cell carcinoma, an extremely rare cancer, which begins in the appendix.
- A 42-year-old British woman is the first person in the world to be affected by goblet cell carcinoma.
- This cancer started in the mother’s appendix before spreading to her intestine, ovary and rectum.
- The patient underwent immunotherapy, but doctors immediately stopped it because it promoted the progression of the disease.
In the United Kingdom, Alison Varley, a 42-year-old mother, suffered from respiratory problems. Thinking it was a chest infection, the doctors prescribed a course of antibiotics. When there were no results and seeing her condition deteriorate, Matthew, her husband, called the emergency services. Once at the hospital, the young woman underwent a scan.
“The genetic heritage of this cancer is unique in the world”
This examination revealed an astonishing phenomenon: “Doctors found five liters of fluid in my right lung. They tried to drain it, and did a second scan which revealed a large mass on my ovary,” the mother told the British newspaper The Mirror. The medical team then found that the cancer had started in Alison Varley’s appendix, before spreading to her intestine, ovary and rectum.
The patient then became the first person in the world to be diagnosed with goblet cell carcinoma. “It’s very rare. No one has my cancer. The genetic heritage of this cancer is unique in the world. There are individuals who have goblet cells, but not the same genetic heritage”, she explained.
Goblet cell carcinoma: the tumor continues to progress
Following her diagnosis, the mother was referred to three different hospitals, six months after the birth of her second daughter. As part of his treatment, the medical team started immunotherapy, but immediately stopped it because this treatment caused the cancer to grow. Alison Varley received no treatment for nine months, during which the cancer only “slightly” progressed.
On March 18, Alison Varley began chemotherapy for the first time to treat her cancer. She said she was “absolutely terrified” and afraid for her children because the medical team doesn’t know if this treatment will work. Chemotherapy sessions should last approximately three months.
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