Mother, 40, beats terminal cancer that had metastasized… as her doctor reveals ‘outside of the box’ therapy that cured her
A mother who was diagnosed with terminal cancer has beaten the disease after her doctor tried an ‘outside the box’ therapy.
Kate Showalter, 40, was diagnosed with carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma, a rare type of salivary gland cancer, in 2022.
She underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, but the cancer continued to spread.
Showalter was considered terminal after tumors had metastasized to her neck, lungs and behind her ear, according to a GoFundMe campaign supporting her family.
Despite being ‘heartbroken’ by her diagnosis, Showalter and her family sought out experimental drugs and trials to help fight the disease.
Her search led her to Dr Daniel Bowles, a medical oncologist at University of Colorado Health, who had her undergo a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Although it was ‘not a standard of care therapy,’ Bowles told KDVR, the treatment seemingly worked and Showalter went into remission.
Bowles said that she is the first patient with carcinoma ex pleomorphic that he has ever known to become cancer free.
Kate Showalter, now 40, (pictured with her daughter Rúni) first fell ill in September 2021 with an ear infection that persisted for weeks even after multiple rounds of antibiotics
She was admitted to the emergency room in December 2021 after the pain became ‘unbearable’ and he suffered a partial paralysis on the left side of her face. A CT scan (pictured) revealed two masses were pressing on her nerves, ear, jaw bone and carotid artery
Showalter first fell ill in September 2021 with an ear infection that persisted for weeks even after multiple rounds of antibiotics, the crowdfunder stated.
She was admitted to the emergency room that December after the pain became ‘unbearable’ and suffered a partial paralysis on the left side of her face.
The Denver native was administered a CT scan which revealed two masses that were pressing on her nerves, ear, jaw bone and carotid artery.
She began treatment in January and the radiation and chemotherapy appeared to be working against the tumors in her head and neck.
But by September 2022, her oncologist found that the cancer had ‘spread to her lungs with too many masses to count’ and she was given a terminal diagnosis.
‘It had metastasized to my lungs and that is when they said you will die, you are terminal,’ Showalter told KDVR.
She recalled how her daughter Rúni, now four, asked if she was going to die soon and Showalter said no.
Rúni asked again ‘are you sure?’ and Showalter replied: ‘No, but I’m hopeful.’
Showalter and her family sought out experimental drugs and trials to help fight the disease. Her search led her to Dr Daniel Bowles, (pictured) a medical oncologist at University of Colorado Health, who had her undergo a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy
Although it was ‘not a standard of care therapy,’ the treatment seemingly worked and Showalter (pictured with her husband Mike) went into remission
That’s when Showalter began to search for alternative treatments and vowed to become the ‘first one to survive this cancer.’
The family connected with Bowles at UCHealth and began what he called an ‘outside the box’ treatment protocol.
According to Bowles, due to the ‘unusual nature’ of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma, there is ‘not any real clear standard of care therapy’ to treat it.
She underwent both chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which Bowles said cured her.
‘In my 15 years of taking care of salivary gland cancers, I’ve never had a situation where someone with that degree of cancer basically went into remission and is cancer-free even after finishing their treatments,’ he told the TV station.
Bowles did not specify which drugs he used in the trial, but Colorado Public Radio (CPR) reported in June last year that Showalter had been involved in a novel treatment that saw her receive doses of the immunotherapy drug Keytruda.
Keytruda, or pembrolizumab, is a drug that helps the immune system fight cancer by blocking the PD-1 protein and preventing cancer cells from hiding.
She was also suffering from ‘existential distress’ and ‘debilitating anxiety.’
‘Before cancer, I had this endless well of patience for my daughter. And when cancer came, I lost that,’ Showalter told CPR at the time.
Showalter (pictured with her husband and daughter) also participated in an experimental psilocybin study to help combat her ‘existential distress’ and ‘debilitating anxiety’
Showalter, who lost her mother to cancer in 2002 when she was just a teenager, was scared of dying and terrified for her own daughter, so she participated in an experimental psilocybin study.
The study had patients take a dose of psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms, and attend therapy appointments.
She said that roughly one month after the treatment, she felt much improved, adding that while she was still scared, she no longer felt dread and anxiety. She also felt her ability to have patience return.
UCHealth’s psilocybin study, which some doctors claim could be the ‘future of cancer care,’ had the participation of 200 cancer patients.
Some, like Showalter, found success with the treatment, while others had ‘really difficult experiences,’ researchers said.
