Amy, NSW

Diagnosis: Small cell high grade neuroendocrine carcinoma
Diagnosed: 22/10/2020
Time to diagnosis: 3yrs

I have a different story. I was diagnosed with NEC high grade small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma in a duplication cyst of my colon. I was born with a duplicate colon I never knew about and my cancer was found within it.

I had 2 weeks of excruciating pain. In the years prior to this pain I had symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and terrible back pain. I was 32yrs old when diagnosed.

A doctor sent me for an ultrasound and the technician took a 2 second look and said “We are getting a CT scan”.

I had that scan and then they sent me for a lung CT. They found a 13cm mass. I was in so much pain I went to the ER that night and begged for morphine. I found out on a Thursday and the next Thursday I had surgery. They removed my right kidney, gallbladder, appendix, resected bowel and duodenum with the mass.

I now have a 30cm scar down my torso. It saved my life. 4 rounds of chemotherapy and 3yrs later I am still here and NED (no evidence of disease).