A Los Angeles mother of three says she’s lucky to be alive after an uncommon procedure left her cancer-free.

Amy Piccioli, a busy CPA, was just 39 when she visited the ER last year for what she thought was dehydration due to a stomach bug.

Instead, a CT scan revealed a mass in her colon and multiple lesions in her liver, which led to a colorectal cancer diagnosis — despite having “zero signs.”

WOMAN’S ALARMING CANCER SYMPTOMS BLAMED ON PREGNANCY FOR YEARS BEFORE STAGE 3 DIAGNOSIS

“I had no symptoms,” Piccioli told Fox News Digital. “I’m one of those people who’s very diligent about my health and very cognizant about changes in my body. So for this to have happened without any signs or symptoms was just shocking to me.”

Because the cancer had already spread, it was automatically a stage 4 diagnosis.

“I just went numb — I couldn’t believe it,” Piccioli said. “Immediately, you have those feelings of panic and fear.”

In June 2024, Piccioli began undergoing chemotherapy, along with an immunotherapy drug. Just three months later, scans showed that the chemo had shrunk the tumors. Next, she underwent surgery to remove a tumor from her colon. 

An unlikely path

After completing the traditional courses of treatment, Piccioli found herself embarking on a path to liver transplantation.

“The cancer was all over my liver,” she shared. “In cases where the cancer is confined to one side of the liver, they can basically cut that portion out … but in my case, a resection was not a possibility because the cancer was everywhere.” 

RED FLAGS FOR COLORECTAL CANCER THAT WARRANT SCREENINGS BEFORE 45 YEARS OF AGE

Although the chemotherapy was successful, she said, “it was always going to be a ‘whack-a-mole’ situation, where I would be on systemic chemo for an extended period of time, new stuff would pop up, and it would just be this cycle over and over and again.”

“The chances of eradicating the cancer entirely from my liver with chemo alone was very slim. In cases like mine, liver transplantation is really the only long-term solution.”

Liver transplantation as part of a colorectal cancer treatment is more prevalent in Europe, but not common in the U.S.

JAMES VAN DER BEEK’S DEATH HIGHLIGHTS ALARMING COLON CANCER RISE IN YOUNGER ADULTS

“We just didn’t think it would be an option here,” Piccioli said. “It seemed like something that was going to require a lot of effort to get.”

Her California care team soon discovered, however, that Northwestern Medicine in Chicago offers a liver transplantation program specifically for metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

“When liver metastasis is noted, our medical oncologists, along with our transplant surgeons begin to make care pathways tailored to the patient,” Satish Nadig, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center, told Fox News Digital.

The chances of a successful transplant depend largely on how the patient responds to treatment, according to doctors. In “carefully selected” patients, the five-year survival rate can be 60% to 80%.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

“Response to chemotherapy is a critical gatekeeper for liver transplantation in colorectal liver metastases,” Nadig said.

“Demonstrated disease control or response is usually required, as it identifies patients whose tumor biology (less aggressive and not spreading quickly) is favorable enough to justify a transplant.”

“You have to be the captain of your own ship.”

Piccioli, who was in search of a living donor, shared the need with family and friends. A lifetime childhood friend, Lauren Prior, underwent screening and was deemed a match.

The transplant was performed in December 2025, making Piccioli the first person at Northwestern to receive a living donor transplantation for metastatic colon cancer.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Today, she and the donor are recovering well.

“The first week or two were difficult, but by week four, I was up and around, getting back to doing normal life things,” she said. “About two months out, I started working out again. I’m now three months out and feel completely normal. It’s amazing what the body can do.”

Piccioli recently had her first post-transplant blood screening for tumor molecules within the body, and none were detected. “So I have no evidence of disease currently,” she shared. 

She will remain in Chicago for ongoing monitoring and screening until the end of March, when she will return home to Los Angeles.

On the lookout

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

“That’s because screening is absent before age 45 and symptoms (such as slow bleeding) are usually subtle,” he cautioned. Tumors can also grow in hard-to-detect locations, like the right side of the colon, or with biology that “delays obvious warning signs.”

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Although Piccioli experienced no warning signs, she encourages others to pay attention to any changes in the body that may signal cancer.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Do the screenings at the recommended ages, follow up and just be diligent about your health,” she advised. 

“I think a lot of the reason that I got to Northwestern and was able to receive this transplant was because I was so diligent about calling the doctors, scheduling the appointments … I think that is really the most important thing: You have to be the captain of your own ship.”

With millions of people using injectable GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound, many may wonder what happens if they stop.

Previous clinical trials suggested a discouraging “rebound” effect, where patients regained a significant portion of their lost weight almost immediately after ending treatment.

However, a new study from Cleveland Clinic, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, offers a more hopeful perspective on what happens when the injections stop.

SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF NIGHTLY SLEEP MAY LOWER DIABETES RISK, RESEARCHERS FIND

The study looked at nearly 8,000 adults in Ohio and Florida who used semaglutide or tirzepatide for three to 12 months before stopping, according to a press release.

Unlike tightly controlled clinical trials, the researchers looked at “real-world” outcomes where patients often switch from one medication to another.

Overall, patients did not experience significant weight regain in the year after stopping a GLP-1. Among those treated specifically for obesity, the average weight loss before stopping was 8.4%; one year later, they had regained just 0.5% on average.

“Our real-world data show that many patients who stop semaglutide or tirzepatide restart the medication or transition to another obesity treatment, which may explain why they regain less weight than patients in randomized trials,” said lead study author Dr. Hamlet Gasoyan in the press release.

NEW WEGOVY PILL OFFERS NEEDLE-FREE WEIGHT LOSS — BUT MAY NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE

This suggests that the rebound seen in clinical trials may be a result of patients being left without alternative support, a scenario that doesn’t have to happen in clinical practice, researchers say.

An estimated 27% of patients transitioned to different medications, including older-generation obesity drugs, while another 20% eventually restarted their original medication once insurance issues or side effects were resolved.

Another 14% transitioned to intensive lifestyle modification programs, working closely with dietitians and exercise specialists.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Patients who maintained their weight tended to remain engaged with the healthcare system, whether through alternative prescriptions or structured lifestyle support, the researchers noted.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

There were some limitations to the study.

“We included adult patients from a single large integrated health system in Ohio and Florida,” the authors noted. “Patient characteristics and healthcare delivery patterns vary across the U.S., which may limit the generalizability of our findings.”

Some of the observed weight reduction may be associated with other interventions that the researchers were unable to capture.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“In our future work, we will examine the comparative effectiveness of alternative treatment options for obesity in patients who discontinue semaglutide or tirzepatide, to help patients and their clinicians make informed decisions,” Gasoyan added.

Adults are seeking ADHD treatment at record rates. 

A new Canadian study reveals that stimulant prescriptions have more than doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a trend that mirrors similar surges in the U.S., Australia, the U.K. and Finland.

Many mental health professionals say the findings align with what they are seeing in their clinics. 

SIMPLE DAILY HABIT MAY HELP EASE DEPRESSION MORE THAN MEDICATION, RESEARCHERS SAY

The study, which analyzed data from January 2016 to June 2024, found that the demographics of those receiving stimulants have shifted significantly. 

Before the pandemic, 48% of new recipients were female; during the pandemic, that number jumped to 59%. The most significant growth occurred among adults aged 25 to 34.

The researchers also noted that the time between a patient’s first ADHD-related healthcare visit and their first prescription shortened during the pandemic.

By June 2024, the monthly rate of adults being prescribed stimulants reached 10.4 per 1,000 people, a more than sevenfold rise since the start of the study period.

While this could signal more efficient care, it also raises questions about whether patients are receiving thorough evaluations, the study indicated. 

SINGLE DOSE OF POWERFUL PSYCHEDELIC CUTS DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS IN CLINICAL STUDY

Dr. Nissa Keyashian, a California-based board-certified psychiatrist and author of “Practicing Stillness,” said the spike was not a surprise.

“In my practice and that of many of my colleagues, many people, particularly women, have received a new diagnosis of ADHD, usually inattentive subtype, in adulthood,” Keyashian, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

Many of these women had symptoms that were overlooked during childhood, the doctor said. 

Unlike the hyperactive or impulsive behaviors often seen in boys, the “inattentive subtype” typically causes fewer disruptions at home or school. 

“Many only begin to struggle when they move out, are on their own and have to provide that structure for themselves,” Keyashian noted.

ALWAYS RUNNING LATE? THE REAL COST TO YOUR RELATIONSHIPS MAY SURPRISE YOU

Jonathan Alpert, a New York City psychotherapist and author of the new book “Therapy Nation,” said he sees many adult patients who are struggling with focus, productivity and mental overload in a “very demanding digital environment.”

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“Those challenges can resemble ADHD, but they don’t always reflect an actual diagnosis,” Alpert, who also wasn’t involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. “Not every attention problem is ADHD.”

“Not every attention problem is ADHD.”

“We’re living in a culture that increasingly pathologizes normal human difficulty, and that should be concerning to everyone,” said Alpert.

The study also highlighted a shift in who is writing these prescriptions. While the number of stimulants prescribed by psychiatrists remained relatively stable, there was a significant increase in prescriptions from primary care providers and nurse practitioners.

The rise of large telehealth companies during the pandemic could be a contributing factor, according to Keyashian, because there could have been an uptick in diagnoses for individuals who didn’t actually have ADHD.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Medication should treat a disorder, not become a performance enhancer,” Alpert noted. “Over time, that can lead to psychological reliance and reinforce the idea that normal struggles require medical solutions.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

The researchers acknowledged some limitations of the study, including lack of access to detailed medical records and uncertainty regarding whether these findings apply to all geographic regions.

Some stimulants may have been prescribed off-label as an adjunctive treatment for depression or anxiety, which also surged during the pandemic, they noted.

“Many people, particularly women, have received a new diagnosis of ADHD … in adulthood.”

For those who suspect they may have ADHD, Keyashian recommends seeing a psychiatrist who is well-versed in that specific diagnosis. 

“It’s best to ask the physician you are seeing about their experience and expertise,” she advised.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Many people today feel mentally scattered,” added Alpert. “The challenge is figuring out whether we’re seeing more [of the] disorder — or simply the cognitive strain of a hyper-distracted world.”

The research was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.