Ruth Ann Banitt

On August 30, 2011, I was diagnosed with Hepatocelluar carcinoma, fibrolamellar; a type of very rare liver cancer. The doctors also found a blood clot near my liver that proceeded to both lungs. A form of chemotherapy called chemoembolization, was shot directly to the tumors and spaced 5 weeks between all but two treatments which were a total success in killing the them.
On January 10, 2012, I received invasive surgical removal of a grapefruit sized liver tumor, gall bladder, along with one lymph node found to be cancerous, also; keeping me in hospital care for almost one week.
Ruth did very well following her surgery recovery until October 2012, Ruth's progression of her cancer had spread to more lymph nodes in which doctors had tried medicine called Sorafenib to slow the growth of her tumors. In December, as she was taking the medicine, side effects became aggressively too harsh for Ruth to continue the medicine. Doctors had to lower her dosage. In the time she was taking the medicine, she was initially scanned to see if it had been working. The scan showed more metastases in her abdomen. Doctors had another medicine for Ruth to try called Nexavar. This also made Ruth very sick. Frustrated with options she had at University of Minnesota, Ruth decided to try Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in January 2013. April 2013, looking at her records, doctors at Mayo tried genetic testing on her tumors to find a gene inhibitor to aid the cancer and keep it at bay. Ruth was scheduled and surgery was performed to remove the lymphatic tumors.
Ruth has been continuing to get scanned every 3 months following her surgery. In August 2013, Ruth noted discomfort in her right abdomen to her back. Scan showed more lymph node tumors. In October, Doctors prescribed Ponatinib to try shrinking her tumors.In December 2013, cat scan showed no shrinkage to tumors while on that medicine.