At 48, Annie Lemieux, a healthcare technician in Saint-Hyacinthe and a mother of two teenagers, learned that she didn’t have much time left when she was diagnosed with high-grade endometrial carcinoma. Six months of chemotherapy and a hysterectomy weren’t enough to treat her advanced uterine cancer.
But against all odds, she is now in remission thanks to a new protocol that combines immunotherapy with chemotherapy.
"It's a miracle," explained Annie. "The oncologist didn't think my cancer was curable. The immunotherapy was just supposed to prolong my life by a few months."
Suspicious stomachaches and periods
In 2020, Annie started to experience severe stomach pains.
She began having heavy periods almost daily. Her family doctor thought she was either in pre-menopause or experiencing a major depression.
“I had been having stomach aches for a year. I often felt faint from the excruciating pain.”
Annie did her best to act like everything was normal and get through her days.
By March 21, 2021, Annie couldn’t take the discomfort anymore, so she went to the emergency room to beg the doctors to find the cause of her pain. It was her birthday.
“The doctors thought I had a uterine infection, but antibiotics didn’t help. The ultrasound was inconclusive. The correct diagnosis finally arrived after a biopsy: high-grade endometrial carcinoma.”
Keeping her head up despite a devastating diagnosis
On May 2, 2021, Annie had an emergency surgery at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) to have her uterus removed.
“The mass they took out was 21.5 cm in diameter. I never had a stomachache again after that operation.”
She also lost her hair while undergoing aggressive chemotherapy treatments for 6 months, which unfortunately failed.
“Instead of regressing, my cancer progressed. It was a recurrence. My oncologist gave me a life expectancy of 6 to 9 months. I never really processed that prognosis until now,” she said, filled with emotion. “I’ve always been an upbeat person. I didn’t want to die angry. So, I kept smiling and held my head up high.”
Her oncologist suggested that she follow a research protocol that could prolong her life by a few months – 35 treatments of immunotherapy, combined with oral chemotherapy. The protocol would help her immune system fight the cancer cells more effectively. It would also cause significant side effects that would likely leave her disabled but alive.
“That did me in. I didn’t realize I would feel so wiped out. It was hard not being able to be active like I used to be. I had to fight every day just to stay on my feet,” she admitted.
An unexpected remission
On September 6, 2023, Annie learned that she showed no sign of cancer.
“It really was a miracle. It still hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” she explained. “I had made my own funeral arrangements even though, deep down, I didn’t really think I would die. I just kept moving forward, not wanting to waste a second."
Annie has since been enjoying every moment with her family. She hopes she will get back her energy so she can keep enjoying life as before. Every three months, she gets a scan at the CHUS. "If there’s no trace of cancer for two years, my oncologist says there’s a good chance that I’ll be cured. But we have to wait five years before declaring victory."
Getting help
When she first started her treatments, Annie consulted the Canadian Cancer Society website, cancer.ca, hoping to better understand her cancer and to find some comfort. She also joined the CancerConnection.ca community to ask questions, even though her situation was quite unique. community to ask questions, even though her situation was quite unique.
“I didn’t find anyone who was following the same treatment as me, but I really appreciated receiving the newsletter every morning. I didn’t feel like I was all alone in the world anymore.”
Annie feels deep empathy for women struggling with stomach pain.
"I hope that my story will lead to earlier detection of uterine cancers and help others undergoing immunotherapy.”
The Canadian Cancer Society funds research that saves and improves lives. Its support services are available in Quebec and across Canada.
I hope that my story will lead to earlier detection of uterine cancers and help others undergoing immunotherapy.
Annie Lemieux, uterine cancer survivor