- Patrycja
Primary Peritoneal Cancer Survivor
Primary Peritoneal Cancer Survivor
Patient Voices: Patrycja
For years, Patrycja felt like she had built the life she had always dreamed of. After moving from Poland to London as a young adult and eventually settling in San Antonio with her Texas-born husband, Ira, she had reached a place of comfort and contentment. The couple enjoyed traveling, spending time with friends, pursuing hobbies, and making plans for the future. Patrycja worked in finance, supporting business leaders through financial planning and analysis, while enjoying a healthy, active lifestyle outside of work.
“I remember having conversations with my husband where we would say, ‘We’re so fortunate,’” Patrycja recalled. “We were financially stable, we had our home exactly how we wanted it, and life was just really good.”
At 49, Patrycja was in the best shape of her life. She biked regularly, hiked when the Texas weather allowed, exercised consistently, and followed a Mediterranean-style diet. Given her family history of cancer, she was especially committed to protecting her health.
“I was probably the strongest and healthiest I had ever been,” she said. “In my mind, I was doing everything right.”
Then everything changed.
In early 2025, Patrycja began noticing subtle symptoms. A feeling of pressure on her bladder came and went. Occasionally, she felt unusually full after eating only a small amount of food. At first, she attributed the changes to aging or the onset of menopause.
“Looking back, I ignored a lot of little things because they would appear and then disappear,” Patrycja shared. “Nothing seemed serious enough to worry about.”
When persistent bloating developed, she suspected a digestive issue or possibly gallbladder problems. Concerned, she scheduled an appointment with her primary care physician, who ordered an ultrasound. The results would change the direction of her life.
Reading the radiology report from home, Patrycja initially felt reassured. Most of the findings were described as “unremarkable.” Then she reached the final line, which referenced changes concerning for peritoneal carcinoma.
“It was one of those moments where everything stops,” she said.
A phone call from her physician later that evening brought even more concerning news. Bloodwork showed her CA-125 tumor marker (an ovarian cancer indicator) level was nearly 6,000 — far above the normal range.
“That was the moment it really sank in,” she said. “Deep down, I knew.”
Years before her diagnosis, Patrycja already knew she faced elevated cancer risks. Cancer had touched multiple generations of her family. Because of that history, Patrycja underwent genetic testing in her mid-40s and learned she carried a PALB2 mutation —a critical tumor suppressor gene that works with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes to repair damaged DNA and prevent tumor growth —which increases the risk for several cancers. She began receiving high-risk surveillance care and was already an established patient of Texas Oncology-San Antonio Medical Center’s gynecologic oncologist, Antonio Santillan-Gomez, M.D., MBA, FACOG.
At one point, a preventive hysterectomy had been discussed, but Patrycja wasn’t ready.
“I had changed my diet. I was exercising. I felt incredibly healthy,” she said. “I just didn’t think cancer was going to find me.” Less than a year later, it did.
Following additional imaging and testing, Patrycja was diagnosed with stage IIIC primary peritoneal cancer, a rare cancer that closely resembles ovarian cancer and is treated similarly. The appointments came quickly. Within days, she met with Dr. Santillan, who outlined an aggressive treatment plan. The initial strategy included surgery to remove as much cancer as possible, followed by chemotherapy.
While absorbing the news felt overwhelming, Patrycja remembers feeling grateful for the clear direction.
“He immediately shifted the conversation toward managing it,” she said. “He had a plan.”
During surgery, however, Dr. Santillan discovered the cancer was too widespread to safely remove at that time. Rather than delaying treatment with an extensive operation, he pivoted quickly.
“He told us there was simply too much disease to remove right then,” Patrycja said. “The priority became getting chemotherapy started as soon as possible.”
She received her first chemotherapy infusion the very same night while still hospitalized.
“At least I knew something was being done,” she said. “I knew I was getting help.”
The months that followed were some of the hardest of Patrycja’s life. Alongside seven cycles of chemotherapy, she battled intense anxiety and uncertainty.
“There were moments when I would just cry uncontrollably,” she said. “It was terrifying.”
Texas Oncology offered counseling resources and emotional support, but Patrycja also developed her own method for coping. When fear threatened to overwhelm her, she would focus on the present moment.
“I would ask myself, ‘What’s happening right now? Am I safe? Am I hurting?’” she said. “Most of the time, the answer was yes, I’m safe. Nothing terrible is happening in this exact moment.”
Gradually, that mindset helped her regain a sense of control. Another source of strength came from reading survivor stories.
“I stopped looking at statistics,” she said. “Instead, I looked for real people who had gone through it and were still living their lives. That completely changed my perspective.”
Seeing other women surviving ovarian and peritoneal cancers gave her hope that she could do the same.
“If they could do it, maybe I could too.”
Throughout treatment, Patrycja said the Texas Oncology team became a source of comfort and stability. She remembers arriving at one of her earliest appointments overwhelmed with emotion.
“I was crying, and everyone was so kind,” she shared. “Dr. Santillan gave me a hug. The nurses reassured me. They kept telling me, ‘You can do this. We have treatments for this.’”
Beyond the medical care, she appreciated the coordination among physicians, nurses, schedulers, and support staff.
“Everyone was working together,” she said. “I always felt like the entire team knew exactly what was happening.”
Receiving care close to home also made an enormous difference. The Texas Oncology location was only about 20 minutes away, reducing the strain of frequent appointments during treatment.
“You don’t realize how much energy that saves until you’re going through it,” she added. “I always felt like help was right there if I needed it.”
After several rounds of chemotherapy, imaging showed an encouraging response. In February 2026, Patrycja underwent a second surgery, including a hysterectomy and tumor-debulking procedure. The results were better than expected.
“My response to chemotherapy was very good,” she said. “There was actually less cancer than they anticipated.”
She completed her seventh chemotherapy cycle in April and now continues targeted maintenance therapy. More importantly, she has begun reclaiming pieces of her life. This spring, she celebrated by taking a long-awaited trip to Poland, Vienna, and London with her husband. More travel plans are already on the horizon.
“Life feels more intense now,” she said. “The good moments feel bigger.”
Patrycja is careful not to romanticize her cancer experience.
“It was trauma,” she said plainly. “I don’t think it made me a better person. It was something terrible that happened, and I had to deal with it.”
But if there is one lesson she hopes others can take from her journey, it is that people are often stronger than they realize.
“It will get worse before it gets better,” she said. “But you can handle more than you think you can.”
She also encourages newly diagnosed patients to be patient with themselves as they process fear, grief, and uncertainty.
“The panic and anxiety eventually settle,” she said. “Give yourself grace, and focus on today.”
While the future may look different than it once did, Patrycja remains determined to keep moving forward — with gratitude, resilience, and hope.
“Whatever happens, happens,” she said. “But right now, I’m here. And I’m enjoying my life.”
The information included in this testimonial is based on one patient’s unique experience and is not intended to represent all patient outcomes or expectations.
