Mom with no symptoms had stage 4 colorectal cancer — and a rare surgery saved her life

A Los Angeles mother of 3 says she’s fortunate to beryllium live aft an uncommon process near her cancer-free.

Amy Piccioli, a engaged CPA, was conscionable 39 erstwhile she visited nan ER past twelvemonth for what she thought was dehydration owed to a tummy bug.

Instead, a CT scan revealed a wide successful her colon and aggregate lesions successful her liver, which led to a colorectal crab diagnosis — contempt having "zero signs."

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"I had nary symptoms," Piccioli told Fox News Digital. "I’m 1 of those group who’s very diligent astir my wellness and very cognizant astir changes successful my body. So for this to person happened without immoderate signs aliases symptoms was conscionable shocking to me."

Because nan crab had already spread, it was automatically a stage 4 diagnosis.

Amy Piccioli, a Los Angeles mother of three, says she’s fortunate to beryllium live aft an uncommon process near her cancer-free. (Amy Piccioli)

"I conscionable went numb — I couldn't judge it," Piccioli said. "Immediately, you person those feelings of panic and fear."

In June 2024, Piccioli began undergoing chemotherapy, on pinch an immunotherapy drug. Just 3 months later, scans showed that nan chemo had shrunk nan tumors. Next, she underwent surgery to region a tumor from her colon. 

An improbable path

After completing nan accepted courses of treatment, Piccioli recovered herself embarking connected a way to liver transplantation.

"The crab was each complete my liver," she shared. "In cases wherever nan crab is confined to 1 broadside of nan liver, they tin fundamentally trim that information retired … but successful my case, a resection was not a anticipation because nan crab was everywhere." 

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Although the chemotherapy was successful, she said, "it was ever going to beryllium a ‘whack-a-mole’ situation, wherever I would beryllium connected systemic chemo for an extended play of time, caller worldly would popular up, and it would conscionable beryllium this rhythm complete and complete and again."

"The chances of eradicating nan crab wholly from my liver pinch chemo unsocial was very slim. In cases for illustration mine, liver transplantation is really nan only semipermanent solution."

Piccioli (right) is pictured pinch Dr. Zachary C. Dietch, a transplant surgeon astatine Northwestern Medicine. (Northwestern Medicine)

Liver transplantation arsenic portion of a colorectal crab curen is much prevalent successful Europe, but not communal successful nan U.S.

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"We conscionable didn't deliberation it would beryllium an action here," Piccioli said. "It seemed for illustration thing that was going to require a batch of effort to get."

Her California attraction squad soon discovered, however, that Northwestern Medicine successful Chicago offers a liver transplantation programme specifically for metastatic colorectal crab patients.

"I person nary grounds of illness currently," shared Piccioli, pictured connected nan formation pinch her hubby and 3 kids. (Amy Piccioli)

"When liver metastasis is noted, our medical oncologists, on pinch our transplant surgeons statesman to make attraction pathways tailored to nan patient," Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and head of nan Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center, told Fox News Digital.

The chances of a successful transplant dangle mostly connected really nan diligent responds to treatment, according to doctors. In "carefully selected" patients, nan five-year endurance complaint tin beryllium 60% to 80%.

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"Response to chemotherapy is simply a captious gatekeeper for liver transplantation successful colorectal liver metastases," Nadig said.

"Demonstrated illness power aliases consequence is usually required, arsenic it identifies patients whose tumor biology (less fierce and not spreading quickly) is favorable capable to warrant a transplant."

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Piccioli, who was successful hunt of a surviving donor, shared nan request pinch family and friends. A life puerility friend, Lauren Prior, underwent screening and was deemed a match.

The transplant was performed successful December 2025, making Piccioli nan first personification astatine Northwestern to person a surviving philanthropist transplantation for metastatic colon cancer.

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Today, she and nan philanthropist are recovering well.

"The first week aliases 2 were difficult, but by week four, I was up and around, getting backmost to doing normal life things," she said. "About 2 months out, I started moving retired again. I'm now 3 months retired and consciousness wholly normal. It’s astonishing what nan assemblage tin do."

Piccioli, who was successful hunt of a surviving donor, shared nan request pinch family and friends. A life puerility friend, Lauren Prior (right), underwent screening and was deemed a match. (Amy Piccioli)

Piccioli precocious had her first post-transplant blood screening for tumor molecules wrong nan body, and nary were detected. "So I person nary grounds of illness currently," she shared. 

She will stay successful Chicago for ongoing monitoring and screening until nan extremity of March, erstwhile she will return location to Los Angeles.

On nan lookout

Early-onset colorectal cancer is often "silent," according to Nadig.

"That’s because screening is absent earlier property 45 and symptoms (such arsenic slow bleeding) are usually subtle," he cautioned. Tumors tin besides turn successful hard-to-detect locations, for illustration nan correct broadside of nan colon, aliases pinch biology that "delays evident informing signs."

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Although Piccioli knowledgeable nary informing signs, she encourages others to salary attraction to immoderate changes successful nan assemblage that whitethorn awesome cancer.

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"Do nan screenings astatine nan recommended ages, travel up and conscionable beryllium diligent about your health," she advised. 

"I deliberation a batch of nan logic that I sewage to Northwestern and was capable to person this transplant was because I was truthful diligent astir calling nan doctors, scheduling nan appointments … I deliberation that is really nan astir important thing: You person to beryllium nan skipper of your ain ship."