Local woman saved by alternative cancer treatment

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) - If you are someone going through cancer, you know it’s an ongoing battle. If you beat it, there’s the chance it could come back.

A one-of-a-kind procedure can possibly help those living with cancer. McLaren Proton Therapy Center is one of only two sites in the state offering this treatment option.

Mid-Michigan resident, Catherine Loss, experiencing trouble breathing through her nose. She was told it was allergies. Then, her lymph nodes were swollen and was sent to an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

“In the back of my mind, when the neck thing started, I knew something was going on, and it was more serious than allergies,” Loss said.

She ended learning she had a tumor behind her nose. It was nasopharyngeal cancer. She underwent aggressive treatment with chemotherapy and radiation. Test results revealed no signs of the disease.

Not even a year later, the cancer came back. This time, her doctors feared radiation might cause her to lose her eye sight. That’s where Dr. Hasham Gayar and the McLaren Proton Therapy Center in Flint came in with their alternative treatment, promising to save both her vision and quality of life.

She opted for the proton therapy, an alternative to traditional radiation therapy. After treatment, she is cancer free, and her sight was spared.

Loss will now have follow-up visits with a radiation oncologist. If you want to learn more about proton therapy, including the benefits and treatment, visit McLaren Proton Therapy Center.

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