Woman given ‘second chance at life’ after receiving UK’s first liver transplant for advanced bowel cancer
After getting the first liver transplant in the UK for advanced colon cancer, a woman was offered a “second chance at life.
A young woman has been given a “second chance at life” after undergoing the UK’s first liver transplant for advanced bowel cancer.
Bianca Perea, diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer that had spread to her liver, refused to accept that merely prolonging her life was the only option.“I don’t want to sound ignorant or arrogant, but I just didn’t feel in my gut that this was the end,” said the 32-year-old trainee lawyer from Manchester about her initial prognosis.
Following the liver transplant, targeted drug therapy, and chemotherapy, Ms. Perea now shows no signs of cancer.When she first visited her GP in Wigan due to constipation and bloating, she was referred to her local hospital, where high levels of blood were found in her stool.
In November 2021, at the age of 29, she was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer—the most severe form—despite having only mild symptoms. After a colonoscopy, a doctor informed her that her prognosis was poor. “He said, ‘We are looking at prolonging your life rather than a cure,’ and I just remember everything slowing down,” Ms. Perea recalledThough she accepted the diagnosis, she refused to believe the outlook was so bleak. When her mother inquired about a possible transplant, doctors initially deemed it unfeasible.
In December 2021, Ms. Perea was referred to the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, where she underwent 37 rounds of panitumumab, a targeted drug, alongside chemotherapy over two and a half years.Her strong response to the treatment allowed for the removal of the bowel tumor in May 2023. However, the tumors in her liver remained inoperable.
With the bowel cancer addressed, doctors considered a liver transplant for the remaining tumors. After being placed on the transplant list in February 2024, Ms. Perea found a donor and underwent the operation last summer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
“Within four weeks of the surgery, I was driving and walking the family dogs. It was incredible,” she said. “To go from being told I had only a short time to live to now being cancer-free is the greatest gift. I’ve been given a second chance at life, and I’m going to grab it with both hands. I am so grateful to the family who donated their loved one’s liver. I do believe this is a cure. They’re always cautious to say that, but I am cancer-free right now.”
Dr. Kalena Marti, Ms. Perea’s oncologist at the Christie, expressed her delight at the positive outcome. “When we examined the tumor cells in her liver after removal, they were inactive,” she said. “This is excellent news, and we hope this means the cancer won’t return.”
Dr. Ian Rowe, honorary consultant hepatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, emphasized the importance of organ donation. “We are indebted to the organ donor’s family—Bianca’s case highlights that organ donation saves lives,” he said. “It is crucial for people to register their decision to donate on the NHS organ donor register and communicate their wishes to loved ones. Families will always be consulted on organ donation decisions.”
