When Jessica was was just 3 years old, her doctor noticed a slight heart murmur whilst she was visiting her grandparents in the Czech Republic.
X-rays taken on her return to the UK revealed that although the murmur was innocent there was a large shadow visible behind her heart.
Further tests revealed that this shadow was a very large tumour diagnosed as a Stage III Ganglioneuroblastoma, both malignant and benign tumour that was taking up most of her chest and wrapping around her spine.
After diagnosis, Jessica received 2 rounds of chemotherapy followed by 9 hours of surgery that removed just 25% of the tumour. A biopsy of the removed tumour showed more malignancy than first thought so a further 4 rounds of chemotherapy was given but it did not shrink the remainder of the tumour at all.
In the worst case scenario of Jessica's tumour growing, there are further treatments avaliable in the UK such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and stereoid injections.
However the family have managed to track down some "non toxic" and less invasive cutting edge treatments that are not available anywhere in Europe
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York (the largest cancer institute in the world) offers many like antibody therapies that may be able to remove her tumour. See www.mskcc.org for more information. There are also clinics offering techniques such as Cyberknife surgery to consider. |
