A woman shared the key indicator that led her to seek another medical opinion after initially being told her cancer had not returned.
Years after her menopause, Alla Feldbeyn began experiencing unexpected vaginal bleeding and was subsequently diagnosed with Stage 1 endometrial cancer, a type that forms in the lining of the uterus.
Following a hysterectomy to remove her uterus, doctors assured Feldbeyn that she would not need chemotherapy or radiation, as the procedure was deemed sufficient. However, two years later, persistent coughing and a peculiar pain in her side suggested otherwise.
Initially considering a gallbladder issue, Feldbeyn discovered her lungs were marked with red blotches.
At age 68, her doctor hypothesized a different cancer type but continuously rescheduled her appointments, adding to her frustration.
Displeased with the delays, Feldbeyn sought out Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of gynecological oncology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.
“[The appointment] was Thursday, and on Tuesday, I already started chemo,” she explained to The New York Post.
The endometrial cancer had metastasized to her lungs, advancing to Stage 4. After undergoing lung surgery and three months of chemotherapy, Feldbeyn joined a clinical trial for the oral drug selinexor.
She left the trial by fall 2023 after it proved ineffective.
In 2024, Feldbeyn participated in another trial focusing on non-chemotherapeutic treatments for endometrial cancer.
Dr. Slomovitz noted, “In the past, hormonal therapy by itself has been used for the treatment of this disease. However, the response rates are relatively low, and the duration of response is only a couple of months.”
During this trial, Feldbeyn took letrozole daily and received Nab-sirolimus infusions three times a month.
Slomovitz remarked, “The agent that we’re looking at now, Nab-sirolimus, has yet to be studied in women with endometrial cancer. The ‘nab-‘ drug delivery system is better than traditional methods because it increases effectiveness and reduces severe side effects.”
A year into the trial, Feldbeyn faced several side effects such as nosebleeds, itching, coughing, high cholesterol, and fatigue, but her cancer had not progressed.
Slomovitz commented, “The great news about Alla is not only her response to the therapy, but she’s definitely maintaining her quality of life.”
“She and her husband love to take cruises and they go on many trips each year. For the clinician taking care of her, this is very satisfying and what we want of our patients.”
Feldbeyn expressed her willingness to be a ‘guinea pig,’ as it ‘can save a bunch of other people’s lives’ along with her own.