Innovative Treatment & Teamwork Give Honolulu Woman Second Chance After Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis

In April 2023, Patsy Narimatsu began experiencing a sharp pain in her side. Her doctor advised she go to the Emergency Department at Straub Benioff Medical Center. There, they discovered a rare tumor in her appendix.

Due to its complexity, Surgical Oncologist Dr. Victor Phuoc at Pali Momi Medical Center came on board.

Dr. Phuoc diagnosed Patsy with Stage 4 goblet cell adenocarcinoma (GCA), an extremely rare and aggressive cancer of the appendix that occurs in one out of 2 million individuals.

Historically, the outlook for this condition has been poor. GCA most times is untreatable and often leads to death.

However, Dr. Phuoc recommended a relatively new treatment called hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). This two-step procedure surgically removes cancerous tumors then uses high doses of heated chemotherapy to treat infected areas that traditional methods of chemotherapy cannot effectively reach.

Dr. Phuoc and Pali Momi's innovative team performed the procedure on Patsy, making it the second HIPEC surgery in the state.

Since then, the teams at Pali Momi, Straub Benioff and Kapiolani medical centers have been able to collaborate to offer seamless care to other HIPEC patients, allowing them the option of staying close to home for treatment.

Today, Patsy is vibrant and doing well. From hosting weekly Sunday dinners to traveling the world with her family, she is grateful to have more time doing what she loves most – spending time with her loved ones.

Watch the video below for Patsy's full story and to hear more about this inspiring story of hope.

Published on: November 18, 2024