Strange symptom leads to man’s Stage IV cancer diagnosis

Joe Gillette’s morning commute hasn’t changed over the years; until one day the three-lane highway turned into a four-lane highway. He realized that he had double vision in one eye. He thought this might be a side effect of a recent COVID-19 crisis and immediately made an appointment with his doctor.

Gillette’s doctor recommended he see an eye specialist and have his brain scanned. The eye specialist said Gillette had nerve damage in his right eye that caused double vision. This seemed like an answer, but Gillette decided to have the other scan done anyway. The New York resident had volunteered with the American Cancer Society for a decade and understood how important a thorough examination could be.

He was tested on his 57th birthday. Hours later, while he was out with his wife, a notification popped up in his online patient portal.

“My wife was right next to me and we’re reading it, it says, ‘Cancer, tumor in kidney, lung, brain and stomach,'” Gillette recalled. “It was the worst birthday present ever. I was devastated to say the least.”

Gillette’s doctor ordered his IV. He confirmed that he had Stage 1 kidney cancer. He had two tumors in his brain. Other scans showed tumors in his bones, lymph nodes, lungs and pancreas. Biopsy confirmed that all tumors metastasized from the kidney. Despite the seriousness of his condition, Gillette had no symptoms until his vision doubled in size.

“If it wasn’t for COVID, I wouldn’t have gotten it,” Gillette said. “I shudder to think what my situation will be like after waiting another six months.”

Aggressive treatment and weeks of recovery

Oncologist Dr. of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Martin Voss said Gillette’s situation was very bad. Less than 20% of stage IV kidney cancer patients survive five years. According to the American Cancer Society. Voss began Gillette immunotherapy treatment, followed by radiation and brain surgery. The procedure was complicated and required Gillette to be placed in a medically induced coma for 10 weeks to recover. When Gillette woke up, he had no idea how much time had passed.

“I woke up, tried to get out of bed to go to the men’s room, and the nurse came in and said, ‘What are you doing?'” Gillette said. ” he asked,” he recalled. “‘I need to go to the men’s room,’ I said. ‘You can’t go to the men’s room,’ he says. ‘I did it this afternoon!’ I said. ‘You’ve been here for two and a half months,’ he says. I was so shocked.”

After undergoing physical and occupational therapy and regaining his strength, Gillette received more radiation therapy, Voss said. The therapy was effective and Gillette’s tumors shrank. Radiotherapy was followed by two years of immunotherapy, which Gillette said showed no significant side effects.

In April 2024, Gillette underwent another surgery to remove the original tumor in his kidney. He was worried he would have a long recovery again, but everything went well and he was discharged from hospital three days later.

“I am thankful every day”

Today, Gillette still receives daily oral immunotherapy and sees her care team regularly. He meets with Voss every six to eight weeks. They have regular MRIs and endoscopies to monitor for any new disease. Voss and other doctors occasionally notice growths, Voss said, but targeted radiation and immunotherapy keep the cancer under control.

“We are making a huge effort to make sure we have a good handle on the situation and understand and act on new developments,” Voss said.

D., senior vice president of the American Cancer Society and a friend of Gillette’s who was not involved in his care. Alpa Patel said her case highlights the importance of innovative treatment options.

“He responded to treatments that were not available a decade ago,” Patel said. “The cancer is largely under control and monitored really well, and they can also minimize impacts on overall quality of life.”

Gillette said she “still gets nervous when it comes time for the scan” but tries to focus on the present as much as possible. He made a full recovery after a long hospital stay after brain surgery. He said the current immunotherapy did not leave him with any side effects.

Lately, she’s been focusing on family milestones: Her oldest child had a baby this spring, and another child is getting married soon. She also prioritizes connecting with other cancer survivors and continuing to volunteer with the American Cancer Society.

“I’m grateful every day, not for what happened to me, but for having that support and getting through this,” Gillette said. “I’m very happy with where I’m at. I’ll sign on for the treatment, and if it keeps me here, I’ll do it for the rest of my life.”