Sheri Shaffer – Ovarian Cancer Patient Story

When Sheri Shaffer's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms worsened, she blamed stress.

But at her next gastroenterology appointment, Sheri brought it up to her doctor — not only does she have IBS, but her father also died of colon cancer. In December 2022, the results of an abdominal ultrasound her doctor ordered came back normal, leaving Sheri to wonder if she might have ovarian cancer.

But a transvaginal ultrasound in February 2023 also showed normal results, as did a colonoscopy in May.

That November, Sheri began feeling worse and added horrible bloating to her symptoms. Googling the growing list pointed her again to ovarian cancer.

A month later, her primary care provider ordered Sheri's annual blood work, and her liver enzymes were elevated. Then, one morning, Sheri sat up in bed and lost control of her bladder.

“That’s when I knew something was wrong,” says Sheri, 58, who made an appointment to see her gynecologist right away.

Her appointment was a few days before Christmas, and during the exam, Sheri’s doctor told her it was likely ovarian cancer. To help with the diagnosis, she ordered a CA-125 test (cancer antigen 125 test), a blood test that measures levels of CA-125. This protein may indicate the presence of ovarian cancer and other gynecological diseases.

Sheri was referred to Sharon Fitzgerald, MD, a gynecologic oncologist, whom she saw in January 2024 at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at the UPMC Outpatient Center in Mechanicsburg, Pa. A biopsy confirmed Sheri had stage IV ovarian cancer.

Comprehensive Cancer Care – Close to Home

Sheri began chemotherapy at the end of January. Treatment continued through April at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Mechanicsburg; through it all, Sheri was grateful not to have to travel far from her home in Lemoyne, Pa.

“It was nice and convenient,” says Sheri.

During treatment, Sheri inquired about hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC), an advanced regional perfusion cancer therapy to treat late-stage or advanced cancers that have spread along the abdomen's inner lining. During HIPEC, doctors deliver very high doses of heated chemo directly into the abdomen. Usually done immediately after cytoreductive surgery, a specialized surgical procedure that aims to remove all visible cancer nodules, HIPEC treats small cancer nodules or microscopic cancer cells that surgery may leave behind.

Advanced Surgical Care, Here in Central Pa.

Sheri was referred to Samer AlMasri, MD, a surgical oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Dr. AlMasri had started offering HIPEC at UPMC in Central Pa. only the year before, in September 2023, when the UPMC Central PA Surgical Oncology program was established.

“I was very excited when Dr. AlMasri said he could offer this to me,” says Sheri. “We met with him, and he went over my CT scan results with us, showed us photos, and he explained everything really well. He spent a lot of time with us and was so informative. He was extra caring, and I really liked him.”

On May 13, Sheri underwent cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC, performed by Dr. AlMasri and surgical oncologist Kyo Chu, MD, at UPMC West Shore in Mechanicsburg.

Sheri did well postoperatively, recovering in the hospital for 16 days and then at home. Although she first experienced a lot of pain in her back, she felt great by the end of June.

Having the procedure done near her home made a huge difference.

“I didn’t want to go to another health system more than an hour away, so having it available here was fantastic,” says Sheri. “I was able to see my family who live near me, and my boyfriend was able to be there every day.”

In June, Sheri followed up with Dr. AlMasri and had an additional two rounds of chemotherapy. She met with him again in September after her last scan, which showed she was in remission.

Throughout her cancer treatment journey, Sheri appreciated the comprehensive care she received at UPMC.

“I was well taken care of by the entire team,” says Sheri. “I have a number of people I can call if I have any issues, from the palliative care team to Dr. Fitzgerald, to Mallory, her nurse navigator, to Dr. AlMasri and his nurse navigator, Laura Morrow. They treated my whole body and mind. They set me up with a psychologist to help me with my stress. They made all my appointments for me and got me in when I needed to get in.”

Sheri’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.