Feature Three

"Early DiagnosisSaved My Life"

Speaking up about concerning symptoms or having routine cancer screenings led to successful cancer treatment for three South Bay women.

Written by Lisa Buffington | Photographed by Vincent Rios

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is an overwhelming experience that will impact nearly 40% of people in their lifetime, according to statistics from the National Cancer Institute. But despite cancer’s tremendous impact on society—and its effect on individuals and their loved ones—cancer experts agree that an early diagnosis increases the chances of successful treatment and a favorable long-term outcome. Prioritizing and scheduling routine cancer screenings is one of the best ways for individuals to take charge of their health. Understanding your cancer risk factors, keeping an eye out for concerning symptoms and alerting your doctor if you notice something unusual all contribute to proactive cancer care.

Sarandon Bracero was too young for a colonoscopy when she was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 42, but she listened to her body when something didn't feel right.

Concerning Symptoms and an Unexpected Diagnosis

Just ask Sarandon Bracero, who was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 42. “I wasn’t old enough to qualify for screening,” says Bracero, who was a pescatarian at the time, worked out six days a week and had been a dance major in college.

She said she knew something wasn’t right when her digestion hadn’t returned to normal a few days after doing a juice cleanse during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was having cramping and running to the restroom, which wasn’t normal for me.”

She asked her physician for a referral to Torrance Memorial Medical Center gastroenterologist David Chung, MD, who ordered blood and stool tests, as well as a colonoscopy. The blood and stool tests came back clear.

“After my colonoscopy, I remember waking up groggy and hearing they found a tumor,” says Bracero. “A few days later, biopsy results confirmed it was cancerous.”

Within a week of Bracero’s diagnosis, nurse navigator Anne Milliken helped her schedule an imaging test called a CT colonography and an appointment with Torrance Memorial colorectal surgeon Megan Linnebur, MD. Milliken also helped Bracero schedule genetic testing, which found no mutations that would increase her risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Bracero then underwent surgery to remove part of her colon and nearby lymph nodes. Because the cancer had spread to two of her lymph nodes, she was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. She also had four rounds of chemotherapy under the supervision of medical oncologist Syed Jilani, MD, before being declared cancer-free. Through Torrance Memorial’s partnership with Cedars-Sinai, Bracero was eligible to enroll in a clinical trial that looks for signs of cancer recurrence in the blood samples of patients who were treated for stage 2 or stage 3 colon cancer.

So far, there has been no sign of a recurrence, which has provided Bracero with peace of mind—and the motivation to follow an even healthier lifestyle as a vegan for the last two years. She advocates for others to make diet and lifestyle changes now that could prevent a cancer diagnosis altogether. She created a blog about her experience healing from cancer that launched in September on the two-year anniversary of the surgery that saved her life.

“You need to listen to your body,” says Bracero. “If something is off, don’t assume it will correct itself. In my case, I was too young for a colon screening, so you really have to pay attention to changes and be your own advocate until you get the answers you need.”

A finess and exercise enthusiast, Rhonda Gil scheduled an ultrasound when she felt a lump in her breast during a selfexam after feeling some discomfort.

Speaking Up Could Save Your Life

Rhonda Gil says she is grateful she paid attention when, in 2018 at 45 years old, a burning sensation in her breast led her to perform a self-exam that revealed a lump. She scheduled a doctor’s appointment and had a mammogram and ultrasound at Torrance Memorial within a week.

“My mammogram didn’t pick up the tumor because I had dense breasts,” says Gil, whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. “It was the ultrasound that found it.”

Gil was diagnosed with breast cancer in August and had what she describes as “the works”: a bilateral mastectomy performed

by breast surgical oncologist Rashaan Ali-Jones, MD, in November followed by a lymph node dissection in December, four rounds of chemotherapy under the supervision of David Chan, MD, in January and radiation under the supervision of Thyra Endicott, MD. A year later, she had reconstructive surgery performed by plastic surgeon Michael K. Newman, MD.

Throughout her treatment and recovery, Gil, a fitness and exercise enthusiast, kept exercising, maintained a positive attitude and looked to others— including her nurse navigator, Evelyn Calip—for support. “You need an army behind you to get through something like this, and I had so much support and prayer,” says Gil.

On the three-year anniversary of completing her last chemotherapy treatment, she ran a marathon to celebrate her survivorship. Today, four years after her diagnosis, Gil remains cancer-free. “If you are concerned, don’t be afraid to speak up,” she says. “And don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

Participation in a five-year clinical trial for early lung cancer detection saved Karen Roa's life—twice.

For Karen Roa, 75, a proactive approach to her health led to an early lung cancer diagnosis and successful treatment. “I spent my career in health care, and I was a long-term smoker,” says Roa, who is an avid golfer and plays several times a week. “Twenty-five years ago, when an opportunity came up to volunteer for a NIH [National Institutes of Health] five-year clinical trial studying whether CT scans or x-rays were the best approach for early lung cancer detection, I decided to get involved—for my health and for the benefit of others.”

Roa’s participation in the clinical trial proved to have life-changing benefits for her, leading to the discovery of a small nodule in the right middle lobe of her lung. Under the care of her pulmonologist, Khalid M. Eltawil, MD, FAASM, she continued to receive annual CT scans for the next 20 years to monitor the nodule.

In January 2021, when Roa was 73, her annual scan revealed the nodule had doubled in size compared to the previous year—“a significant change,” according to her physicians. Her case was presented at the Torrance Memorial Thoracic Tumor Board, a multidisciplinary meeting of health care providers who work as a team to care for patients with lung cancer. The team recommended a biopsy, which revealed the nodule was cancerous.

Clark B. Fuller, MD, a Cedars-Sinai and Torrance Memorial thoracic surgeon, performed a minimally invasive lobectomy at Torrance Memorial to remove the cancerous portion of Roa’s lung. Because the cancer was contained to the lung and had not spread to her lymph nodes, she didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation. Although she was feeling well enough to get back to the golf course just a month after surgery, Roa heeded the advice of Dr. Fuller to give her body a chance to completely heal, and she was able to play again shortly thereafter.

“I can’t sing the praises of Torrance Memorial enough,” she says. “Even during the throes of COVID-19—from the time of the results of the concerning CT scan, the further investigative studies needed and the surgery—I was cancer-free in under six months.”

Roa says she hopes her experience encourages others to take advantage of lung cancer screening. “I am the best example of the benefits of early detection and how participating in clinical trials can benefit everyone,” she says. “It’s my privilege to share my story with the hope that it will encourage others to access the technology that is there to help them today. Even if you are a smoker, the medical professionals at Torrance Memorial are there to help you and not to shame you. You need to get screened and take care of your health before it’s too late.” •