January 6th 2025.
Bianca Perea, a 32-year-old trainee lawyer from Manchester, has recently been declared cancer-free after an incredible medical breakthrough. She was the first patient in the UK to undergo a liver transplant for advanced bowel cancer, a treatment that was once considered impossible.
Just a few years ago, Bianca was told by doctors that her stage four bowel cancer was terminal and that she only had a short time left to live. Despite undergoing targeted drug therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery to remove the cancer from other parts of her body, her liver was still affected. However, in February of 2024, a donor was found, making the groundbreaking surgery possible and saving Bianca's life.
Reflecting on her journey, Bianca shared, "To go from being told I only had a short time to live to now being cancer-free is the greatest gift. I've been given a second chance at life and I'm going to grab it with both hands. I am so grateful to the family who agreed to donate their loved one's liver."
She believes that this treatment is a cure, despite doctors' reservations. She stated, "They're always hesitant to say that, obviously, but I am cancer-free right now." Bianca was just 29 when she received the shocking news of her stage four bowel cancer, which had spread to all eight segments of her liver.
The first signs of trouble came during a routine colonoscopy, where the doctor was unable to pass the tube through her bowel. Bianca recalls, "I remember the doctor at the time - there was a blockage in my bowel and he couldn't get the camera past. He said, 'I've taken some biopsies. If you were 60 and above, I would say that is most definitely cancer, but because you're so young, I just can't see how that could be that in you'."
After further tests, Bianca was devastated to learn that she had an advanced form of bowel cancer, and doctors were only focused on prolonging her life rather than finding a cure. However, Bianca had a gut feeling that there was still hope. She shared, "I don't want to sound ignorant or arrogant, but I just didn't feel in my gut that that was going to be it."
Bianca underwent 37 rounds of targeted drug treatment and chemotherapy for over two and a half years at a local treatment center. The positive results allowed her to have an operation in May of 2023 to remove the bowel tumor, leaving only the liver tumors to be dealt with.
Initially, her mother's suggestion of a liver transplant was dismissed by doctors, but two years later, specialists began to consider it as a potential cure for Bianca. While stem cell or bone marrow transplants are already used to treat certain types of cancer, a liver transplant for cancer had never been done in the UK before.
In February of 2024, Bianca was added to the transplant list and was fortunate enough to have a donor, allowing her to undergo the life-changing surgery at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The results were remarkable, and Bianca's health and fitness improved drastically. She shared, "Within four weeks of going under the knife, I was able to drive and walk the family dogs. It was really quite incredible."
Her doctors are optimistic that the cancer will not return and believe that this pioneering surgery will pave the way for more innovative cancer treatments. Dr. Kalena Marti, Bianca's oncologist, stated, "Thanks to the generosity of organ donors and their loved ones, we can now access liver transplants for some patients, which is fantastic."
The lead consultant at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, where Bianca had her surgery, emphasized the importance of organ donation. Dr. Ian Rowe shared, "We are indebted to the family of the organ donor - as is made clear with Bianca's case, organ donation saves lives. It is important that people register their decision to donate on the NHS organ donor register and make their decision known to their loved ones."
Bianca's story is a testament to the impact that organ donation can have on cancer treatment. In the UK, there are around 44,000 new cases of bowel cancer each year, with the majority of cases being in people over the age of 75. However, with advancements in treatments such as liver transplants, there is hope for a brighter future for cancer patients.
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