Imagine experiencing unexplained weight gain, physical discomfort, and bodily changes, only to be told that all you need to do is lose weight. This has been the frustrating reality for 30-year-old Kayla Rahn of Montgomery, Alabama, for months. She initially thought it was just stubborn weight gain or digestive issues, but it turned out to be a more serious problem lurking inside her body.
Kayla had been actively trying to lose weight, particularly abdominal fat, through healthy eating and exercise. The changes were so noticeable that strangers would comment, and sometimes even ask if she was pregnant with twins, or touch her stomach, leaving her shocked and discouraged. The discomfort wasn’t limited to her weight; she also suffered from persistent stomach discomfort, pain, migraines, and difficulty breathing.
Despite Kaila’s best efforts and multiple doctor visits, several doctors only advised her to lose weight. However, her condition continued to worsen. In May 2018, the pain became unbearable, and she had to go to the emergency room at Montgomery Jackson Hospital. It was through a CT scan that doctors finally uncovered the shocking truth behind her symptoms.
The scan results showed that Kaila had a massive cyst on her ovary—a 50-pound mass. “I thought it was fake,” Kaila described her initial shock during an interview with The Today Show. She compared the size of the abdominal mass to a watermelon. Doctors diagnosed it as a mucinous cystadenoma, which is typically considered a benign tumor originating from the ovarian epithelium.However, its massive size was causing serious issues.
The giant cyst was compressing Kaila’s internal organs, explaining her long-standing shortness of breath and severe pain. It also caused edema, causing her legs and ankles to swell and ache for months. Kaila felt like her condition was “getting worse and worse,” she said. “I couldn’t take the pain anymore.” After a long wait for a diagnosis, she felt both relief and disbelief.
Dr. Richard Sample diagnosed Kayla, noting that the cyst was one of the largest of its kind he had ever seen. Dr. Gregory Jones, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Jackson Hospital, was the surgeon who removed the tumor. Dr. Jones echoed this sentiment, telling MS News, ”
This is one of the largest cysts I have ever seen or removed.” Although ovarian mucinous cystadenomas are relatively common, accounting for approximately 15% of all ovarian cysts, cases of such enormous size are extremely rare.
The surgery was scheduled very quickly, taking place just one day after the diagnosis. The surgical team successfully removed the massive mass of cells. In a press release issued by the hospital, Kayla shared that she felt “a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.”This physical and emotional burden had been immense; she had been battling this 50-pound mass of unknown origin for an entire year. Immediately after the surgery, she went home and tried on all her shirts, finally finding that they fit again.
The surgery was not without its costs. While the tumor was successfully removed, the doctors had to remove her right ovary because the cyst had “basically consumed” the organ. Remarkably, her recovery process was exceptionally smooth, defying the doctors’ previous predictions that she might need to stay in the intensive care unit for some time and experience “extreme discomfort” due to the “repositioning” of her organs.
Kaila’s experience serves as a powerful reminder, as she herself urges: “Know your body. Stay vigilant about everything.” She emphasizes, “It’s best to speak up for yourself,” particularly highlighting the importance of trusting one’s intuition about one’s health, especially when symptoms persist or are concerning.
Mucinous tumors are known for their potential to “grow to enormous sizes,” according to the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. This means they can sometimes be detected earlier than other types of ovarian cancer, precisely because of their large size. According to a review in the International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer, when mucinous ovarian cancer is completely removed, patients in Stage I have a relatively favorable prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of 90% or higher.
However, even smaller ovarian tumors can be life-threatening. Ovarian cancer is often referred to as the “silent killer” because its symptoms are often vague and do not manifest until later stages, making early diagnosis challenging. Tragically, approximately 13,270 women in the United States are expected to die from ovarian cancer this year, often because other types of ovarian cancer are diagnosed at later stages when treatment options are limited.
These diverse experiences—from removing large benign cysts to navigating the complexities of cancer risk, diagnosis, and treatment decisions—highlight the importance of understanding and advocating for one’s own health. Ovarian cancer often has no obvious symptoms in its early stages, so it requires close monitoring. It originates in the cells of the ovaries that produce estrogen and eggs, typically beginning in the fallopian tubes and spreading to the ovaries.Factors that increase the risk of ovarian cancer include: being postmenopausal, carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, being obese or overweight, giving birth to your first child after age 35 or never having given birth, having a family history of cancer, or using hormone replacement therapy. While these are risk factors, it is crucial to discuss your personal risk with your doctor.
Recognizing the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be challenging because they are often nonspecific and may resemble those of common conditions, especially those related to the menstrual cycle. This so-called “silent cancer” may present as abdominal bloating or fullness, pelvic or abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or changes in bowel habits.
More specific but still potentially subtle symptoms include vaginal bleeding or abnormal discharge (especially after menopause), pelvic or abdominal pain, back pain, eating too quickly or difficulty eating, changes in urinary habits (frequent or urgent urination), constipation, extreme fatigue, or pain during sexual intercourse.
Doctors emphasize that if these symptoms are new or do not improve within about a week, it is important to contact a healthcare provider promptly and arrange for an examination. The diagnosis of ovarian cancer is complex and typically involves multiple steps.
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