A man from California, Mark Sevillano Jr., learned he had cancer after his initial symptoms were not taken seriously by his doctor.
Mark Sevillano Jr. shared his experience of receiving the devastating news of his cancer diagnosis just as he had started to lead a healthier lifestyle.
In an interview with Today.com, he described how the past few years had been stressful for him, prompting him to make some significant changes in his life.
In 2021, Sevillano faced the end of his 11-year marriage, alongside the challenges of being a father of two and completing his teaching degree in college.
He graduated, and by early 2024, he felt that life had settled down, creating the perfect moment to focus on his health goals.
In the beginning of 2024, he committed to going to the gym three times a week and eating healthier, feeling optimistic about the future.
However, the 41-year-old resident of Santa Fe Springs, California, began to notice a troubling issue that caused considerable discomfort.
He explained: “I felt better and just when I started feeling better, I … couldn’t really swallow my food comfortably.”
He found that drinking water sometimes helped him swallow, but after two months, his symptoms worsened, prompting him to seek medical advice.
Sevillano noted that the doctor seemed unconcerned and only ordered a swallow test reluctantly.
Before he could take the test, a visit to the emergency room revealed he had esophageal cancer.
Sevillano expressed: “I would have never imagined that I had any cancer, let alone esophageal cancer.
“I’ve never even said the word esophagus. It was not on my radar at all.”
He mentioned that he noticed weight loss but attributed it to his healthier lifestyle rather than cancer.
Discussing the doctor’s attitude, Sevillano felt that his youth and lack of family cancer history led to the doctor’s lack of concern.
Sevillano remembered: “He was like, ‘We’ll schedule a swallow test in the future. I’m not too worried about it.’
“Looking back on it, I was like, ‘Wow, there are so many red flags.’”
Sevillano detailed how severe his throat condition became, reaching a point where he couldn’t even swallow liquids, describing it as if his throat were a clogged drain filling with water.
Despite the situation worsening after a mass was found, which eventually led to the cancer diagnosis, Sevillano is now on the road to recovery.
In October, he underwent intensive surgery where doctors removed 6 inches of his 10-inch esophagus, along with a tumor the size of a strawberry.
Surgeons used his upper intestine to form a new esophagus that connects to the remaining part of his organ.
After multiple rounds of chemotherapy, Sevillano’s condition improved, and he currently remains cancer-free, with regular scans scheduled over the next five years for monitoring.