Pregnant mother survives stage-4 melanoma after brain tumor surgery and immunotherapy
Jenney Bitner, 38 weeks pregnant, was diagnosed with a giant brain tumor that turned out to be stage-4 melanoma, and after multiple surgeries and immunotherapy she is now disease-free.
During a 2020 trip to San Diego, pregnant Jenney Bitner suffered intense nausea, headaches and falls, prompting an ER visit that uncovered a massive brain tumor later diagnosed as stage-4 melanoma. After delivering her fourth child, Marcus, via C-section at 34 weeks, she faced a rapid tumor regrowth that required a second neurosurgical removal. Beginning in early June, Bitner started immunotherapy, which quickly shrank other cancerous nodules and, despite rare complications, resulted in no detectable disease by October.
Dr. Alicia Zhou of the Cancer Research Institute highlighted Bitner’s case as evidence of transformative advances in immunoncology. Six years later, Bitner advocates for further research while enjoying family life.
