Remembering Kate Kaplan

2004–2024

This is Kate Kaplan’s story, as told by her mother, Lisa.
In August 2021, when we were on vacation on Mount Desert Island, Maine, my 16-year-old daughter, Kate, started having intense abdominal pain. We took her to the ER, and a CT scan showed that a 14 cm complex cyst on her right ovary had ruptured, causing fluid to accumulate in the cul-de-sac (the space between the uterus and the rectum). The ER staff recommended we follow up with a gynecologist.
We cut our vacation short and flew home to South Florida to meet with the gynecologist. It was Kate’s 17th birthday.

The Diagnosis and Journey

An ultrasound confirmed the preliminary diagnosis of a complex cyst on the right ovary. In August 2021, the gynecologist performed a laparoscopic cystectomy, draining the mass with a suction irrigator before extracting it. The pathology came back with the diagnosis of ovarian mucinous adenoma.
Kate was upset about how this cyst and the need for surgery might affect her upcoming high school swim season and her senior year. She was a standout swimmer and had high hopes for the upcoming season.
After her surgery, however, Kate had the greatest year of her life. She earned her best times in swimming, met her boyfriend, Bogdan, and enjoyed her senior year of high school. Kate then started college at the University of Florida in fall 2022.
In November of that year, Kate began to feel the abdominal bloating and fullness return. An ultrasound in December showed a 12 cm dilated tubular structure on the right ovary. Since Kate was in college and was not in pain, a second surgery was scheduled for her spring break. The same gynecologist performed a laparoscopic cystectomy on the now–18 cm cyst in March 2023.
This time the pathology showed some borderline mucinous adenoma and a small section of intraepithelial carcinoma among the mostly mucinous adenoma tissue. Six weeks later, in May 2023, a gynecologic oncologist performed a right oophorectomy and staging.
Mucinous adenocarcinoma cells were found in the peritoneal washings and the omentum, which had become adhered to the cut surface of the ovary. This denoted stage 3 expansile mucinous adenocarcinoma. Genetic testing of the tumor showed TP53 and KRAS G12V mutations.

Juggling College Life and Treatments

After undergoing egg harvesting, Kate started six rounds of FOLFOX chemotherapy in July 2023. Throughout chemotherapy, Kate continued to attend the University of Florida, swim on the UF club team, and even teach aerobics classes at the UF rec center.
In between chemo cycles, we took a family trip to Yellowstone. Kate was happy and feeling well. After her round of chemotherapy was finished, however, Kate’s CA-125 level rose to 54. Her CT scan showed evidence of recurrence in the omentum and appendix. A biopsy confirmed mucinous adenocarcinoma in her remaining omentum. Soon after, she developed abdominal pain and a massive amount of ascites.
We were desperate for a solution and felt fortunate to get a surgical slot at MD Anderson for a HIPEC procedure in December 2023. When Kate’s surgeons opened her up, however, they found that the mucinous ovarian cancer had spread throughout her gastrointestinal tract and abdomen. They still proceeded with the surgery.
Kate bravely endured the difficult surgery and painful recovery. But two weeks after the procedure, Kate started vomiting. We had to go back to the hospital, where a CT scan prompted yet another surgery in January 2024. The surgeons found the cancer had completely blocked her intestines, creating a solid mass.
Since her tumor was HER2-positive, Kate decided to try three rounds of Enhertu. Despite this, her cancer progressed. She developed chest fluid and her abdominal incision split open from the cancer. Kate came home on hospice and passed away on May 23, 2024, at just 19 years old.