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San Jose resident, Ozhen Arsenous, was shocked when he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at the age of 50.
After going to the hospital for abdominal pain, his doctor encouraged him to get a colonoscopy in March 2022. That’s when he got the news – he was among the growing number of people who are being diagnosed with colon cancer at an earlier age.
After being given six months to live with no possible treatment plan, Ozhen sought a second opinion from Shane Dormady, MD, an oncologist at Bay Area health system, El Camino Health whose aggressive and hopeful approach to cancer care gave Ozhen confidence that they could fight this disease together. Dr. Dormady believes tailored treatment and a positive mindset is incredibly powerful throughout a patient’s cancer journey.
“When you have a patient as young as Ozhen, trying to deal with statistics and odds is often very negative and very pessimistic. It takes a patient’s hope away,” Dr. Dormady said. “There’s always hope, and I emphasize that we’re going to analyze your cancer cells on a genetic and molecular level to look for weaknesses that we can exploit. That’s how we’re going to get a leg up on the cancer. That’s how we’re going to drive you into remission.”
A few months later, after several rounds of chemotherapy and two surgeries, Ozhen’s scans showed no detectable cancer, and he was declared disease free. More than two years later, Ozhen continues to be in remission and credits Dr. Dormady’s relentless optimism and persistence with saving his life. He now encourages everyone he knows to get a colonosopy and—if they are faced with a difficult diagnosis—to find a care team they connect with who will fight alongside them to beat cancer.
“For me, Ozhen is a validation for the mentality I take with every patient. You never know when you’re going to hit a home run and you can’t hit a home run unless you take a swing,” Dr. Dormady said. “And so, when I see him, it’s incredibly gratifying, it’s priceless. It’s why I do this and why I’ve dedicated my life to helping my fellow man. When a young guy like Ozhen regains his quality of life and is able to thrive, it’s why I get up in the morning and come to work every day.”
