Patient profile: Christine Sable, ovarian cancer survivor

Christine Sable is a real estate consultant from Pennsylvania. When she learned she had ovarian cancer, her world was turned upside-down. In this interview with CRI, Christine shares what it was like for her to face this deadly disease, and how she credits her current good health to her participation in a Cancer Research Institute clinical trial of an ovarian cancer vaccine at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York. 

Christine: I didn’t think I had cancer at all. There were just some vague symptoms, bloating and cramping, nothing you could put your finger on. I understand now that’s typical of ovarian cancer; they call it “the cancer that whispers.”

CRI: So you went to the doctor …

Christine: … on a Thursday, then everything became a blur. Friday, the CAT scan and ultrasound. Monday, the bad news. Following Thursday, the operation; it was radical. Six months later, there I was, bald and sick from the chemo.

CRI: You made a tough decision at that point, didn’t you?

Christine: I wasn’t impressed by my chance for survival; more chemo might have bought me another seven months. So I got on the Internet, did some serious searching, and learned about a clinical trial of a cancer vaccine that was just starting in Buffalo. I was accepted; four years later, here I am — knock on wood — in remission.

CRI: What were the treatments like?

Christine: The hard part was flying to Buffalo 20 times for the shots. Otherwise, it couldn’t have been more different from other treatments. There were very few side effects. You didn’t have to wait around for three hours to finish a treatment. Kunle Odunsi, my doctor, took time to explain the science to me and make me feel like a participant; he’s brilliant and compassionate.

CRI: The doctor has good things to say about you, too.

Christine: He was excited about how readily my body worked with the vaccine, that’s true. It’s important work he’s doing, and important work I’m doing as well. Even if the vaccine doesn’t help me in the long run, this research will benefit others.

CRI: You’ve said that cancer is “a powerful teacher”; what do you mean by that?

Christine: I lived too cautiously before. Now I realize that nobody knows how long they have, so I don’t hesitate to create good moments for myself and others. I’ve gone on a cruise with my husband, another one with my mother, and taken my children on a trip out west. I’ve bought a boat and a puppy. I write bigger checks to charity.

CRI: What’s on your to-do list these days?

Christine: Aside from real estate consulting, I’m active with the Lancaster Economic Development Group and the Lancaster Film Commission. Oprah’s movie, “Beloved,” was filmed here, you know. I’m hoping to persuade her to discuss ovarian cancer vaccines on her show; more women should know about this.