Alex Able (30) looked forward to the future with his wife Elle (27) when the doctors told him a overwhelming message that changed everything – suffers from one of the most precious forms of cancer in the world, writes.
The man for the first time noticed pain in his shoulder in September 2023, but initially ignored these symptoms. When the pain persisted, he asked for magnetic resonance. In November, the images looked normal, which temporarily calmed him, but in May everything worsened significantly.
Further examination revealed a large tumor on the shoulder near the spinal cord. Doctors have successfully removed 90 % of the tumor, but the rest was in danger of his spine. The sample subjected to an analysis that revealed a overwhelming diagnosis. “Our world collapsed,” said Alex’s mother -in -law Katie.
The Englishman was diagnosed with a rabdoid tumor – an aggressive and rare form of cancer, which affects mostly young children. “Doctors explained that rabdoid tumors behave like fine fibers with a cobweb and join anything they can grasp. The tumor was dangerously close to his spinal cord, attached to the muscles and nerves that control the movement of his hand, ” explained.
Only a month after the first surgery, the tumor grew again to its original size and thus to reduce it underwent demanding radiotherapy. “Radiotherapy caused burns and inflammation of the throat. He had problems with eating and drinking. He quickly poor but did not give up,” Katie revealed.
Then he underwent chemotherapy and despite all the expectations he began to put himself on his feet again. In the middle of the treatment, small tumors found small tumors in his lungs, lower back and shoulder bone, but as chemotherapy continued, secondary tumors in the lungs were reduced to half and the bearing in the lower spine disappeared. Alex terminated chemotherapy and the original shoulder tumor remained stable.
At the end of April, however, he began to feel something in his legs along with back pain. His condition worsened dramatically, and it turned out that tumors in the lungs have returned, new in the lower spine formed new ones that influenced its ability to move, and in the brain two small lesions appeared. “In the coming weeks, they made difficult decisions. They gave up their dream house, made a will, conducted talks about his deteriorating condition,” Katie added.
Alex underwent radiotherapy as well as intense physiotherapy in order to restore his ability to walk. The day after the third cycle of chemotherapy, Alex woke up and did not feel his legs. Suddenly paralyzed from the chest down and magnetic resonance imaging revealed two more tumors on the spine. Given the unusual nature of Alex’s disease, they received a overwhelming message that His cancer has become uncontrollable and discontinue treatment. “They basically asked him where to die,” she said.
However, the family sought alternative treatments outside the British National Medical Organization (NHS), and Katie made contact with a professor in Germany, who provided information on seven potential treatment options available in a leading German Center for Rhabdoid Tumors, University Medical Center in Augsburg. Professor Robin Jones confirmed his willingness to take over Alex’s case and the family is now waiting for the details of the treatment regime.
