Young Ovarian Cancer Survivor Shares Her Journey and the Warning Signs Every Woman Should Know

At just 31 years old, Kristina Ruiz had a large mass on her ovary.

“The size of a baby soccer ball was sitting on my bladder, my ovaries, my back,” Kristina says.

Kristina saw Troy Gatcliffe, M.D., a gynecologic oncologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth—University of Miami Health System, who diagnosed her with ovarian cancer.

“Kristina presented with symptoms of abdominal and pelvic pain,” says Dr. Gatcliffe. “Kristina had a pretty rare form of ovarian cancer that, at that time, was confined to the ovary. So, I removed that tube and ovary.”

Specialized Ovarian Cancer Care Can Make a Difference

Dr. Gatcliffe says, when it comes to ovarian cancer, where you get your treatment matters. At Sylvester, every patient like Kristina receives a personalized treatment plan based on their age and specific type of cancer.

“You want to receive your ovarian cancer care, including your surgery, in a place where the team taking care of that cancer is seeing it day in and day out,” Dr. Gatcliffe says. “That’s what we offer at Sylvester.

Kristina’s team also knew that she wanted to start a family someday, and helped preserve that possibility.

“She underwent one cycle of egg harvesting,” Dr. Gatliffe says. “So, Kristina still has intact fertility for the future.”

“My dream is becoming a mom,” says Kristina. “They extracted 10, which is impressive for only having one ovary and one fallopian tube. Out of the 10, seven matured, healthy and ready to use.”

Ovarian Cancer Prevention

Sylvester is also at the forefront of prevention with a procedure called opportunistic salpingectomy.

“We really do now understand that the precursor lesion for a lot of ovarian cancers truly comes from the fallopian tube,” Dr. Gatcliffe says. “This is an opportunity to reduce rates of ovarian cancer by removing fallopian tubes in women who have definitively decided to no longer have children in the future.”

Kristina underwent three rounds of intense chemotherapy. She lost her hair, but not her sense of humor.

“I don’t want to ever stop laughing and dancing and enjoying my family,” says Kristina.

Kristina is now in remission. She says it’s all due to Dr. Gatcliffe and his team.

“I love him and I’m proud to be his patient,” Kristina says.

Medically reviewed and approved by Troy Gatcliffe, M.D.

Tags: Dr. Troy Gatliffe, fertility and cancer, gynecologic cancer, menstrual bleeding, ovarian cancer, Personalized cancer care, Preventive health care, Signs of Cancer, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center