A milestone birthday celebration in Hawaii was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime for this Dallas woman. Instead, it began a lifesaving battle with endometrial cancer that led the 50-year-old to Methodist Charlton Medical Center.
But no scary diagnosis could derail Phonepraseuth “Kout” Aun’s trip or discourage her hopeful attitude.
“There was no point in feeling sad and stressing out about something I couldn’t control,” she says. “That’s pretty much how I live my life: I stay positive no matter what.”
That unwavering optimism was put to the test when Kout had a bad reaction to chemotherapy and had to turn to a relatively new alternative treatment to fight the cancer that began in the inner lining of her uterus. Precision medicine, also known as immunotherapy, harnesses the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
“I’ve been on this treatment for a while, and I feel like it’s really helped me,” Kout says. “My doctor and nurses have been taking really good care of me.”
Kout learned that immunotherapy might not have been an option had her diagnosis come just a few years earlier.
“Five years ago, a patient like Kout would have had limited to no options following her inability to tolerate chemo,” says Brandon Roane, MD, gynecologic oncologist on staff at Methodist Charlton. “Now she is almost two years past her last chemo dose and is doing fantastic.”
It’s a world away from March 2022, when Kout’s symptoms were mistaken for menopause, and she traveled to Hawaii blissfully unaware that cancer was growing in the inner lining of her uterus.
Kout’s entire family joined her on her dream vacation.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
Kout began experiencing unusual cramps and heavy menstrual cycles a few months before her big trip.
“My doctor thought it was just menopause,” Kout says. “I didn’t think much of it until one morning on the trip when a family member told me that I looked very pale.”
Concerned, Kout visited an emergency room on the island. The doctors there noticed a visible mass beneath her skin but couldn’t give her a specific diagnosis.
“They gave me pain medication so I could finish the trip and suggested I follow up with my doctor back home,” Kout says.
Determined not to let her symptoms ruin the vacation, Kout pushed through the discomfort and returned home as planned. But her pain only worsened.
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Back home in Dallas, Kout arrived at Methodist Charlton, where she was sent for a biopsy. The procedure revealed endometrial cancer.
Endometrial cancer is a cancer that forms in the lining of the uterus. It’s the most common reproductive cancer in women and is typically treated with a hysterectomy — a surgical procedure that removes the uterus.
Kout’s surgery also involved the removal of cancer that had spread to her abdomen and pelvis. After that, Dr. Roane recommended radiation followed by chemotherapy because the cancer had spread.
But because the chemotherapy started so soon after the radiation, it put a strain on her bone marrow. The decision was made to stop Kout’s treatment and come up with a new plan using precision medicine.
Dr. Roane’s visits to Kout during her treatment were a memorable highlight.
TAILOR-MADE TREATMENT
Experts describe precision medicine as a cutting-edge approach to customizing disease prevention and treatment. It considers individual differences in a person’s genetic makeup, environment, and lifestyle to create more effective and targeted care.
“We can tailor drugs and therapy based on genetic and molecular testing of the tumor and develop precision medicine for patients on a case-by-case basis,” Dr. Roane says. “In the right patient, these targeted drugs can be effective and avoid the side effects of conventional chemotherapy.”
Kout’s body responded well to an immunotherapy drug called pembrolizumab, also known by the brand name Keytruda.
“We did a scan and compared it to the first one, and there were signs of improvement,” Kout says. “There was one cell that shrank and the other cells are stable so I’m in remission, but not cancer-free just yet.”
Kout is hopeful for her future as she continues to receive the care she needs.
Although her cancer isn’t completely gone, Kout’s progress is something her doctors are truly excited about. She will continue with regular monitoring and treatment under Dr. Roane to keep her in remission.
Right now, she’s appreciative of everything she’s conquered with the help of her medical team.
“Dr. Roane has been with me through the whole journey, so he’s seen everything,” Kout says. “I don’t know if I could have asked for a better doctor and group of nurses. I love them.”
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