Cynthia Mitchell lives with Stage IV Bile Duct Cancer | Liver Resection | Oral Chemotherapy | Xelota

In this impactful personal video, Cynthia Mitchell shares her journey with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer. Cynthia's story is one of resilience, hope, and redefining what it means to truly live—despite being told she may never reach full survivorship.

From Health to Diagnosis
A resident of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Cynthia enjoyed a life filled with physical activity. She regularly ran, participated in aerobics, and engaged in weight training. She was, by all accounts, in excellent health. However, in 2021, she began experiencing severe heartburn and acute pain in the right upper quadrant of her abdomen. Initially dismissed by her physician as menopausal symptoms, Cynthia knew something wasn’t right.

An ultrasound revealed a large mass on her liver, prompting further imaging and an MRI. Just before Christmas 2021, she received the life-changing diagnosis: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a type of liver bile duct cancer.

Surgery and Recurrence
In January 2022, Cynthia underwent a successful liver resection. Surgeons achieved clean margins with no lymph node involvement, offering a brief glimmer of hope. Her medical team informed her that she had a 20% chance of surviving five years, which—given the nature of this cancer—was considered relatively optimistic.

But in summer 2022, Cynthia’s cancer returned. Now diagnosed as Stage IV, she faced a more challenging road ahead.

Chemotherapy with Capecitabine (Xeloda)
Cynthia began an intensive regimen of oral chemotherapy with capecitabine, also known by its brand name Xeloda. While oral chemotherapy is often seen as less harsh than intravenous methods, Cynthia experienced debilitating side effects:

Nausea

Chronic fatigue

Cognitive impairment ("chemo brain")

Hair thinning and loss

Despite the toll, she continued caring for her two young children and maintained her household alongside her devoted husband.

Adapting to Life After Treatment
Today, Cynthia is on a less aggressive targeted therapy, which is better tolerated. Although she acknowledges that she may never achieve what the medical community considers "full survivorship," Cynthia has found new ways to embrace life. She estimates her current health at 85–90% compared to her pre-cancer state. She can no longer engage in high-impact exercise, but she proudly walks her dogs—sometimes up to 10 kilometers a day.

Cynthia’s message is not just one of survival, but of thriving with limitations, appreciating everyday moments, and finding joy in the present. Her journey exemplifies the strength and adaptability of those living with cholangiocarcinoma, and she remains committed to raising awareness about this rare and often overlooked cancer.

Key Takeaways:

Diagnosis: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (a rare bile duct cancer)

Initial Treatment: Liver resection surgery (January 2022)

Recurrence: Stage IV recurrence in mid-2022

Chemotherapy: Capecitabine (Xeloda) oral chemotherapy

Current Status: On targeted therapy; living an active, modified life

Additional Resources:

Canadian Cholangiocarcinoma Collaborative Support Group
https://www.cholangioma.ca

Keywords & Tags for Awareness

#CynthiaMitchell #BileDuctCancer #IntrahepaticCholangiocarcinoma #LiverResection #Capecitabine #Xeloda #GallBladderCancer #OralChemotherapy #CholangiocarcinomaAwareness #CancerSurvivor #StageIVCancer #RareCancerJourney #CanadianCancerSupport

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Let Cynthia’s story remind us: even when full recovery isn’t possible, a full life still is.








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